Legacy
by badomens
Summary: One year after the defeat of the Adephagos, Flynn thought he had finally cleaned up most of the mess left over. As it turns out though, things are not as peaceful as they appear, as he discovers when Yuri is burdened with the fate meant for him. Flynn X Yuri
1. Chapter 1 - Flight

_Author's Notes:_

This whole fanfic began simply because I played the game and my friend and I couldn't stop discussing the game and the characters. After that I was hooked. I started questioning my life choices, but I haven't done anything but write for the past three and an half months so I'm not sure how that all worked out.

And so begins my descent into Tales of Vesperia madness.

_I do not own Tales of Vesperia. Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai._

* * *

Chapter 1 - Flight

_ Dear Yuri..._ he scratched that out. _Dearest Yuri... _he scratched that out double time and then scribbled over it quickly. He sighed. This letter was shaping up the way they always did. And they always ended the same. He crumpled this letter up like he had so many others in the past. None of the letters he ever wrote made it to the person they were intended for.

There came a tapping on the window. Flynn turned sharply from his desk to look over his shoulder. Yuri was standing on the parapet, box in hand, grinning smugly like always. He quickly stuffed the pieces of paper he had been working on back in his desk and moved to the window.

"Will you ever learn to enter through the front door?" he asked as he opened the balcony window. "You do realize that you are welcome in the palace now, right?"

Yuri shrugged, "It's not my style. I can't get used to not going straight to the stockades." He displayed the box with a smile. "Got anything to go along with this?"

Flynn furrowed his brow in question.

The dark haired man opened the box, displaying a fresh, glazed fruit tart within.

"Where did you get this?" the blond asked, and motioned for Yuri to follow him back inside.

"I _made_ it," he replied, as if Flynn was questioning that the origin of the item could possibly be something underhanded. He set the box down on the coffee table in Flynn's state room and plopped himself down on the sofa. It was softer than he was used to, but he didn't comment as he sunk in a bit. "Shouldn't this be just about tea time or whatever you people at the palace do?"

Flynn sighed. It was just about time for tea, and he knew that the maids would be by with it any moment. "You know just when to arrive don't you?"

"I have been told that my timing it excellent," Yuri smirked.

At that moment, the tea cart arrived from the royal kitchens, heavy laden with tea and cakes and sandwiches.

"Two today," Flynn said to the maid, indicating Yuri who was still sitting on the couch, relaxed and looking out the window. He felt like he had been saying that a lot lately.

"O-of course, Commandant!" She wheeled the cart in and set the coffee table, and quickly showed herself out.

"What brings you here today, Yuri?" Flynn asked, fixing the two of them tea as Yuri cut up the tart.

"Just thought I'd stop by and see how things were going as Commandant."

Flynn thought for a moment. This job was something he had dreamed of ever since he and Yuri were children living in the Lower Quarter. He now had the power to change things within the Knights, within the government and make the Empire a better place for everyone to live in, even with the Empire and the rest of the world living in the recent wake of the destruction of the blastia. "It's been a challenge, but it's going to be worth it in the end."

Yuri smiled, not his usual smirk, but something softer and more genuine. "That's good to hear."

"But I know that's not why you're really here, is it?"

"No, not really." There was that smirk again. He took a sip of his tea, and set the cup down. His every movement was fluid like a fighter's would be and he paid no mind to the stiff sort of acrobatic manners that the nobility required of those who would be in the midst of their ranks. Flynn had watched those movements millions of times, and each time he appreciated them a little bit more.

Flynn snapped back from his thoughts as his dark haired friend continued to speak.

"I mainly came to say goodbye." Yuri was stuffing a slice of the fruit tart into his mouth in a most uncouth way, but neither of them really minded.

"What?" Flynn asked, visibly surprised.

"I'm leaving Zaphias for a while. I'm heading to Dahngrest tonight. Brave Vesperia has a job and we've got to rally the troops." Yuri waved his hand in the air as if it was nothing to him.

A knot formed in Flynn's throat. Perhaps he had grown too used to these little tea time visits. "I see," was all he could manage. He really wanted to say more. He always wanted to say more. He never had the nerve.

A loud warble shook the room and just beyond the window, a rope ladder came down.

They both rushed to the window, Flynn sword in hand, Yuri smiling knowingly.

Above the city was Ba'ul, carrying the ship, and the rope ladder descended down from him. Judith could be seen waving from the rail of the ship.

"Looks like it's time for me to make my exit," Yuri took a few steps up on the ladder.

"Yuri, wait!"

But he didn't. He merely smirked down at Flynn, and made a little nod with his head instead of waving as his hands were occupied with his sword and the ladder. After just seconds, Ba'ul and the ship were gone. He felt the rift between them grow to an immeasurable distance.

* * *

The flight to Dahngrest was a little long, but Yuri found it pleasant. Now that he had experienced flight, traveling by ship seemed like a thing of the past, even if they were still technically in the ship. The wind in his hair and the watching the scenery of the world go by them were relaxing. It was certainly a welcome break from the stagnation and suffocation that he always felt down in the Lower Quarter.

Yuri very briefly thought about how Flynn would react to flying. Sailing was one thing, but the movements of Ba'ul through the air with were very different. He didn't waste a single thought on the idea of the cool, fresh air whipping through the blond's hair, or how his oldest friend's normally calculated movements might be thrown off by the rocking motions. Or how his friend's minor sea sickness would easily become full blown, near debilitating air sickness. He certainly didn't smile softly at these ideas either.

"What's so amusing?" Judith asked from right over his shoulder, intruding into his moment of private reflection.

"Nothing," Yuri replied, leaning up against the rail of the ship.

The Entelexia above them warbled, and Judith smiled.

"Ba'ul says that you're lying," she said lightly.

Yuri changed the subject. "So what's going on with this new job we've taken?"

"Karol didn't tell me much, but it sounded like a big one." She tapped her finger against her lips and looked up thoughtfully. "When we get to Dahngrest, I'm sure that he will fill us in on the details."

The dark haired man shrugged and decided to let it be.

"So how is our beloved Commandant doing?" Her voice was light and airy which fit with her strange, detached manner of viewing the world.

From what Yuri had seen though, this seemed pretty typical among the Kritya. It was almost like they were beyond ordinary problems. The one thing that made Judith different than the others of her race that Yuri had encountered, was her love for fighting. She never backed down when in the face of danger. She seemed to have no fear, although that didn't stop her from being cautious. She had also proved to be a most cunning and intuitive ally. Sometimes more intuitive than Yuri was comfortable with.

"Flynn's being Flynn," he said, perhaps a little more tenderly than he had intended. He sharpened his tone. Judith could read him better than anyone, and he wasn't giving her any chances of making completely untrue assumptions about him. "Off trying to change the world."

"That's admirable." She was looking right through him and it made him shiver briefly. "I guess you haven't been seeing much of him, then."

On the contrary, while Yuri was in Zaphias, he had stopped in at the palace quite regularly. It had been enjoyable seeing Flynn as often as he had, although he would never admit it. She was baiting him. He wasn't going to fall for it. "No more than usual."He tried to be toneless. He continued to look at the scenery below.

After a while, Ba'ul set the two of them down just outside of Dahngrest, and then disappeared back into the skies. Yuri presumed that the Entelexia would find a place nearby to rest until Judith would call for him again.

It was dusk when they entered, the red-orange sky increasing the atmosphere of the city of dark buildings lit by candles. The Guilds and the Empire were all still working on a source of power to replace the blastia that had been used to save the world the year before, but there were very few viable replacements yet. Rita had been diligently researching alternative methods for powering the world that would not resort to massive destruction.

Yuri and Judith arrived at the Brave Vesperia headquarters, a small but cozy building which was nestled in a row of others just around the corner from the inn. They had put a sign up over the doorframe with their name and an image of the star that was their namesake. They were still a small guild compared to many others, but their reputation and enlistments had recently grown with several very successful jobs.

As they entered, Repede took his usual sleeping spot on the couch. He didn't really care much for the discussion parts of the guild. He was in it for the action.

Karol was waiting inside, and was very happy to see them.

"Hey boss," Yuri smiled. "What have we got going on this time?"

"We've got a ton of requests!" Karol said with glee. He was seated at their meeting table with a half dozen request letters in front of them. Obviously, he had been debating on which ones to take and who should take them.

"None of them are date requests this time, right?" Yuri arched a brow rather humorlessly. That had been one of the less pleasant requests that they had received, especially since it requested Yuri specifically. It had been the request of an older local noblewoman who needed an escort for a formal dress party. He still shuddered at the idea of the woman offering him more money than the original agreement for some 'special services'. Yuri politely declined.

"N-No!" the boy blushed and scratched the back of his head.

He was glad to hear that. He shoved one of the chairs away from the table and sat down. He stretched a bit, hearing a few joints pop until he was satisfied. "So, what are some of the requests?"

Judith sat down too, picking up a few of the letters, examining them carefully.

"Well, most of them are pretty small things, but there is one big one I've been thinking about," Karol started. "Some folks are wanting to make a colony on Yurzorea, and need some back up."

"Back up?"

"Yeah! They need someone to keep the monsters away at the night and they say that Fortune's Market recommended us!" The thirteen year old was ever enthusiastic.

Yuri nodded vaguely, "Nightwatchmen then? That's not so bad. How long would they need us?"

"They're asking for two weeks time," Judith replied, gently taking the letter from Karol so that she could get a better look at it. "Meals and housing are included, and the sum that they have offered is quite impressive." She turned the letter to Yuri.

That was indeed a comma before all those zeros. "Fifty thousand?" he found it a bit staggering, but this was a very sizable job. He had never been in the guild for the money, although it was nice to get paid to travel the world and do a variety of jobs. He had really been there to take his own path to changing the world, just as Flynn was right now. Flynn, the ever vigilant white knight of the empire. He pushed those thoughts back.

"What do you think, Karol?" Judith asked.

"I think it sounds like a great way to get our name out there!" he said cheerfully.

"The money's not bad either," Yuri replied. "We are getting a little worn down in funds, and this place needs some fixing up." He leaned to one side of the table and it titled very substantially, so that Karol's drink started to slide off. He returned the table to its proper position. "What about the other jobs?"

"A few deliveries, a pest control problem in the cellar of the Sagittarius, and a request to be a wedding escort," she said.

"The small ones are things that Luke and Ash can do without a problem!" Karol said cheerfully. Two of their new recruits, both young men, had been rigorously trained by the three of them, and although a bit goofy, they were both capable and eager to please.

"The wedding escort is out though," Judith said. "They've requested the three of us personally."

"Who's the requester?" Yuri asked to keep the conversation going. He had no real interest.

"Harry Whitehorse," she said, a bit of amusement in her voice.

Yuri and Karol looked at her in surprise.

"We can't refuse this one!" Karol said staunchly.

Yuri nodded, although he knew that it would require him to dress formally which he found stuffy and uncomfortable. "Harry is an important ally to us here in Dahngrest. If he needs us, then we'll be there."

"That's good ta hear." A familiar, twangy voice came from the doorway. It was Raven.

"Raven!" Karol shouted excitedly. It wasn't like they didn't see plenty of each other, both living in Dahngrest, but the ex-soldier had become almost like a father figure to the young man.

"Hey kids." He grinned, and sauntered in, and took a seat at the table. "I was stoppin' by to see if ya had taken a look at Harry's request yet."

"I didn't even realize he was engaged," Yuri said. Even though the new Don was growing in confidence with the other guilds, Yuri still saw him as a reluctant leader, but he knew that Harry was trying very hard to be a good guild leader since his grandfather's passing.

"Yeah, we've been keeping it under wraps," Raven said.

"Why?" Judith asked. "This is a joyous event."

"Well, it would be normally, but there's a small problem. Come ta find out that good ol' Harry's wife-ta-be is the daughter of a noble from Zaphias."

Yuri almost bit his own tongue in surprise, but managed to remain deadpan in front of the others. "So, he wants us at the wedding to keep things under control. Just in case some of the other guilds decide to raise a fuss."

"That's right," he said. "He figured ya guys would be the best ones for the job considering your history."

"What exactly is it going to entail?" Judith asked.

"That's the other reason I'm here. He wanted me ta go ahead and fill you in since the wedding is in two days," he cleared his throat a bit. "It won't be too bad. Her father's personal guard will be escorting her to the entrance of Dahngrest. From there, the three of you will be taking her to Guild Headquarters."

"Sounds a little fishy," Yuri said. "What aren't you telling us, Old Man?"

"Would good ol' Raven hide things from you?" he asked, feigning innocence.

They all looked at him deadpan.

"Okay alright. There are rumors that some of the guilds are really unhappy with the idea of him marrying an Imperialist. I mean, her father is a pretty big name in the capital and all, and they're worried that he might try to exude some control over the guilds. There is some talking around town about some one tryin ta take some action," the older man explained.

"I can understand their problem," Judith replied. "These people left the Empire, and now it threatens to be on them once again."

"I'm gonna place my trust in Harry for now." It wasn't surprising that he took Harry's side.

"What do you think, boss?" Yuri turned to Karol.

The young man pondered this for a moment. Perhaps he didn't understand everything that was going on, but he had a good heart and knew that Harry only had the best intentions for the Guilds. "I think that we should do it. Harry needs our help and I know that he's not going to let the Guilds down."

"I'm in then," Judith said cheerfully.

"Me too." Yuri knew that he was going to end up in dress clothes again, a thought that annoyed him.

"I'll let him know what you've decided. Come to the Guild Headquarters later and we'll go over the plan." Raven stood. He waved goodbye and ambled off into the evening of Dahngrest.

"Looks like we'll have to go clothes shopping." There was a hint of joy to Judith's voice that made him a little uncomfortable. It was no secret that she loved to dress up.

Yuri sighed.


	2. Chapter 2 - Blood

Author's notes: When I started this fic, I really had no idea what I was doing, or where I was going. Because it's completed, aside from edits, I'll be able to post pretty regularly. Since I'm in school right now and I have a full time job and a ton of other things on my plate, I'll only be putting up one to two chapters a week. After the semester is over, I might be able to swing more.

I don't owe Tales of Vesperia. It is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 2 - Blood

They had gone over the plan and were preparing for the ceremony. The path for the escort was easy enough. Brave Vesperia would walk the bride from the gates of Dahngrest, along the main road through the city square, and to the Union Headquarters where the wedding would be taking place. Karol would take up the lead, Judith would take up the rear behind the bridesmaids, and Yuri would walk alongside the left hand side of the bride, with her father on the right.

Judith had picked them all out clothing for the wedding, much to Yuri's chagrin. Luckily, the suit was much similar to ones the he had worn before, but the waistcoat was a horrendous shade of pink. He had originally refused to wear it, but she insisted, and even though she wouldn't say it, she would have walloped him if she had to.

"This looks ridiculous," he said off offhandedly, as they walked toward the gates. His long black hair was held back in a high, tight ponytail and made his head hurt a bit. Judy had insisted on that as well. It was considered proper, he supposed.

"Yeah, why are we wearing pink anyway?" Karol chimed in.

"We are dressed to match the wedding party," Judith explained. Her dress was cut tightly against her ample form, so much so that men whistled at her passing, to which she responded with merely a wave. "It will help us blend in. It is also a favor to the bride. This is her special day after all."

Yuri and Karol looked at each other with a frown.

By the time they reached the gate, they could see the bride's brightly decorated carriage approach, followed by half a dozen armored guards. After a few moments, the carriage stopped at the entrance to the city, and Brave Vesperia walked through the gates to meet it.

One of the guards moved forward to meet them. An older nobleman dressed in burgundy silk, stepped out of the carriage, a grim look on his aging face. His dark brown hair was short and neatly trimmed, flecked with grey on his head and across his beard and mutton chop side burns.

"W-We're Brave Vesperia," Karol stuttered slightly, but straightened up. "We are here to escort the bride."

"Where is your leader?" the nobleman asked sharply. "I was assured that this guild was a group of professionals, and not such a motley crew."

Yuri clapped a hand on Karol's shoulder, "You're looking at him."

The nobleman was taken aback by this. It seemed to surprise a lot of people that the thirteen year old was the leader of a guild with growing popularity.

A lovely young woman with long, wheat blond hair poked her head out of the carriage, "You are to be my escorts?"

"Yes," Judith replied.

"Marta..." the nobleman sighed. "Lets get this over with then."

One of the guards opened the carriage door and out piled the bride and half a dozen other girls, all clad in ridiculously poofy pink dresses. The bride was the only one dressed differently. Her dress was pure white silk, painstakingly decorated with hand crafted lace and freshwater pearls. She wore a long veil and flower crown, and her hair was dotted with clips studded with diamonds. Yuri could only think that all of this finery was wasted on just a single occasion, and that the entirety of the Lower Quarter could eat well for a year on the cost of that dress.

"You must be Lady Marta Lualdi," Judith said, and bowed a little.

She didn't notice. She had turned to Yuri, and was looking him up and down not so subtly. "Oh my, aren't you handsome." She smiled. "Maybe even more so than dear Harry."

Yuri bit his tongue. He was never good at taking compliments. Any of his normal retorts to words like these would have been highly unwelcome. This was an important job. "Shall we be going?"

She slipped one thin, gloved arm around his right arm, and with that the wedding party was off. Due to the nature of the bride's dress and shoes, and those of the bridesmaids, the walk that normally would have only taken just a few minutes, took nearly an hour. Yuri wondered to himself why anyone would wear anything so insensible.

The whole way to the Union Headquarters, Yuri kept a sharp eye scanning the crowds as they passed. He was suspicious of everyone. Any one of these people could be a potential danger to his mission.

"That's a lovely sword," the bride said with a whisper. It distracted him for a brief moment.

"Thanks," he said, trying to stay alert. The Second Star had been his sword of choice since the battle against Commandant Alexei.

"Are you married?"

"Nope," he replied, eyes still scanning the crowd. "Confirmed bachelor."

"Oh," she smiled thin and fox-like. "One of those?"

He wanted to ask her what exactly she meant by that, but they were already at the Union Headquarters. The guild's guards opened the doors for them, and a band began to play what Yuri assumed was a standard, organ heavy wedding tune.

Marta's grip on his arm tightened.

Yuri looked ahead to the end of the lane. Up ahead, the groom Harry stood, dressed nicely and looking nervous as hell, and beside him, Raven, similarly dressed to the other groomsmen. Just behind Harry stood a familiar armored form. He cocked an eyebrow. "What the hell is Flynn doing here?"

"I had no idea the Commandant was going to be here," Marta said excitedly.

"Me neither," Yuri sighed. Had Flynn really come all the way here just for a paltry wedding? Maybe a wedding like this meant more to the Empire that he had thought. Yuri noticed Flynn's normal, calm face change to one of confusion once their eyes met. Behind him stood the cat-eyed Sodia. She also seemed confused by his appearance.

As the organ tune came to an end, they mounted the steps to stand before the priest and the assembled male half of the wedding party. The bride's father moved to sit in the front row of seats, and Yuri felt her arm slip away from his as she moved to clasp Harry's shaking hands. He took a step back, standing just behind her, sword ever in hand. He stood parallel to Flynn, and avoided his sight further. He had a job to do, and didn't need to be distracted now.

The bridesmaids spread out in a row in front of him, Karol moved to stand with the groomsmen, and Judith stood at the end of the row of bridesmaids.

Yuri had no interest in how the wedding proceeds went, but he constantly scanned the wedding party and the audience. A few times, his eyes met Flynn's, and he noticed that the Commandant was also on the offensive. _But why?_ he wondered.

The priest began the wedding speech, speaking of the glory of love and the bonds that tied humanity together and how those bonds would now bind Harry and Marta together. Yuri was finding it hard to focus, between the uncomfortable clothing he was forced to wear, the heat in the room, and being completely tense and alert.

The wedding went on and on and on or so it felt. After a while of listening halfheartedly through Harry and Marta's boring and cliched vows, he realized that it was finally coming to a close. He was thankful.

"You may now kiss the bride," the priest congratulated Harry, and took a step back.

Harry lifted Marta's jeweled veil back and kissed her, holding her hands, his still shaking. The audience sighed tearfully, dreamily, the assembled crowd moved by the lovers' scene.

After a few moments of rejoicing, Marta turned to Flynn. "Commandant Flynn, would you please do my husband and I the honor of escorting us to the honeymoon suite?" She seemed to have no problem asking anything of anyone. She was bold, perhaps that was something Harry saw in her.

"It would be my honor, Lady Marta," he said, and moved past the groomsmen to stand beside her. If he minded being asked for such a trivial thing, he didn't let it show. Ever the professional.

They took two steps down past the first and second sets of the groomsmen and bridesmaids. Yuri moved in behind them. He was still on the job. As they passed the third bridesmaid, he noticed something small in her hand. Something small, shining and sharp.

Yuri unsheathed his sword in a flash and lunged without hesitation. His right arm swept out, and knocked Flynn and Marta out of the way. He pulled his sword up to block the dagger, but it was too late. The crazed bridesmaid's knife slashed him across the chest, sharp tip rending his flesh from his left shoulder to his right hip.

"Yuri!" Flynn called out, scrambling to his feet to draw his sword.

The dark haired man staggered back a step, right hand clutching the wound. The blood was warm on his chest, and he gritted his teeth against the pain, mostly glad that the cut was not as deep as it looked.

The bridesmaid coiled back like a snake prepared to strike again, knife held high, but her chance never came. Judith had the shaft of her spear under the girl's arms and across her throat in a choke hold in a flash. Karol swung his heavy sword and hit her in her exposed abdomen with the blunt side, knocking the wind out of her.

The Union guards grabbed the young woman and quickly had things under control after that.

"Yuri, are you alright?" Karol asked, rushing to his side.

Yuri had taken to one knee, holding the fabric of his torn shirt against the wound to help stop the bleeding.

"I'm fine." He clenched his teeth. He had been cut worse, but there was still quite a lot of blood.

"Call for a doctor at once!" Flynn commanded the one of the royal guards who was with him.

"I said I'm fine, damn it," Yuri replied.

Judith slipped an arm under Yuri's and slowly helped him to stand. "It looks like things are under control here. Let's get you back to headquarters and get you bandaged up. Can you walk?"

"Yeah," he said with a slight hiss. He looked over his shoulder to the Commandant and looked at him with a smirk. "Get this situation figured out, won't you, Flynn?" He was smirking through the pain, and with the danger now gone, Brave Vesperia hobbled away into the twilight city of Dahngrest.

* * *

Marta seemed to be in a bit of shock, as Harry helped her to her feet.

"Are you alright, Marta?" he asked, tenderness in his voice.

She was shaking, watching the girl who had been her friend, the knife-wielding bridesmaid be dragged away to the dungeon by the city guards. She took a moment to compose herself. "Yes... yes I'm fine."

"Don Whitehorse, I know what a difficult time this is," when Flynn said that, he could see that Harry was still adjusting to being called the same thing his grandfather was, but he continued. "And I know about the history between the Empire and Guilds, but I fear that this situation may not be an isolated incident, but rather something that could endanger all of our citizens. Knowing this, I would like to request a chance to interrogate that young lady."

"Of course," Harry agreed. The alliance between the Union and the Empire was still young and a little unstable, but it gave him the right to deny the Commandant's request as this was not Imperial territory. However he also understood that something like this could have become a worldwide problem. A young Imperial noble woman attacked during her wedding in Dahngrest to the Don of the Union? Scandalous front page news. "The last thing that the Union wants in an international incident."

Flynn, with Sodia and another of the Royal Guard in tow, followed the Dahngrest city guards to the dungeon of the Union building. They had the girl in a cell already, the same one that Flynn had been in at one point in time. Her hands were tied tightly behind her back and her ankles tied together to limit her movement as much as possible. It was evident that she had struggled a great deal with them. Her bright pink dress was nearly shredded from the thigh down, her neatly coiffed hair was now a mess, and her makeup was streaking down her face. Adding to the effect, she was babbling endlessly, nothing but nonsense.

"She's been in this state for a while now," one of the guards informed him.

Flynn knelt by her, far enough to be out of harm's way if she was able to try anything, but close enough to hear her.

"Regnerint illud... permittitus laures... sanguinitus... cerania... emolos ale...kesey..." she muttered this string of words over and over again, rocking back and forth slightly, staring at the ground.

"Who are you?" he asked.

She looked up at him, eyes wild and dark. She did not answer.

"Why did you attack Lady Marta?" He did not raise his voice. He maintained his calm demeanor, even with all of the things racing around in his head.

There was still no verbal reply other than her chanting. She contorted her body just slightly, and continued to stare straight into his soul.

"Who do you work for?"

The crazed woman rose up and back on her knees and leaned back. "We'll kill any who dare stand against our might! His people shall reign supreme!"

"Who-" He was cut off.

With one quick movement, she sprayed blood all over him from her mouth, and her tongue fell limp and red onto the floor, bitten clean off.

Before he realized what was happening, another shower of blood hit his face. He grabbed her by the back of her neck to hold her steady. He ripped away a piece of his uniform and stuffed it into her mouth and held it there. She tired to bite down on his gauntlet-ed hand, but it was no good.

"Sodia, go fetch Lady Estellise!" he shouted.

The lieutenant ran up the stairs as fast as she could.

Flynn could feel the blood seeping through the cloth, and in between the metal plates of his gauntlets. The warmth and red were soaking his fingers.

After just a few moments, Sodia returned, Estelle right behind her.

"Flynn!" she shouted in concern, seeing his situation.

"Lady Estellise, heal her!"

Estelle employed her healing artes and the blood flow stopped. Flynn pulled his hand and the cloth back. The wound had healed, but the bridesmaid's tongue remained on the dungeon floor.

She would not be talking anytime soon.

* * *

He and Sodia left the city of Dahngrest, and took the hike back to the Imperial encampment that had been set up a little ways outside of town. Most of the small contingency of troops he had brought with him were in the mess tent, but the two standing guard saluted him as he entered. They separated, and he went to his tent, the second largest, off in the north corner of camp.

He pulled off his armor, and his ripped, bloodied tunic. He wanted a shower, but with things as they were, he settled for washing up in a basin, and getting a change of clothes.

Blood was caked sticky in his hair and and under his fingernails. His stomach felt a little sick. There was very little chance that they would get any information from that girl about why she had tried to kill Marta.

He shivered, and his mind wandered to Yuri's injuries. Surely he had gotten treatment by now... right?

Flynn dressed again quickly. He needed to be sure Yuri was all right. His heart was pounding with some strange mix of fear and agitation. He left a very brief note for Sodia, and made his way back into Dahngrest.

It was nearly nightfall now, although it was hard to tell in the twilight city. Even faster his feet moved across the cobblestone. He had to resist breaking into a full run, and not draw a ton of attention to himself. There were still people in Dahngrest who didn't like the idea of an alliance between the Union and the Empire. He could have easily made himself a target if he was not careful.

Around the corner, behind the inn, he found Brave Vesperia's small headquarters crammed in a row of other guilds' buildings. He took a deep breath, and moved to knock on the wooden door. He didn't want to seem anxious. He was merely coming to check on Yuri, who had been wounded in the attack. He assured himself that the dark haired man was fine. He also briefly cursed himself for not bringing Estelle with him. She had chosen to stay behind to tend to the wounded. She would have liked to see Yuri and her other friends, and she could have healed him in case that everything that Flynn feared was true.

"Ouch!" Yuri's voice came from inside the small building. "Judy, cut it out."

"Not yet," a female responded in a slight singsong voice.

Flynn hesitated a little, before knocking purposefully on the door.

"H-Hold on!" a child like voice returned. Several heavy steps approached the door, and it swung open. Yuri's young companion Karol was standing there, looking at him in a bit of shock, but Flynn's eyes were elsewhere.

Yuri was sprawled out on the couch, dress shirt unbuttoned all the way to his navel, looking frustrated, trying to pull his hair out of the ponytail it was held in. Judith was pulling at it as well, just more gently.

"Uh... Yuri..." Karol turned slightly. He knew Flynn too, but he also knew that it was highly likely that Flynn was here to see his old friend.

Yuri looked up from the couch. Judith pulled away from him and went to the door.

"Why, whatever brings the Commandant into our guild's humble presence?" She was teasing him a bit, but it sounded sincere enough. He was not followed by his usual guard and he took no offense.

"I need to speak with Yuri," Flynn said.

Judith got the idea. "Come on, Karol. How about I treat you to some dessert at the Sagittarius? After all, we didn't get any of that delicious looking wedding cake."

"Awesome!" What thirteen year old could resist dessert, even if he was a guild leader?

As soon as the two of them walked away, Flynn entered the guild building and shut the door behind him.

"Pleasure seeing you here in Dahngrest," Yuri said sort of sarcastically. He had a dark, shiny scar on his chest from where he had been hit. "What brings you here?"

"I came to speak with the Don regarding the on-going peace negotiations." Flynn stood in front of the couch, trying not to stare at his friend. "Interestingly, I find you among the party of a wedding that I had no idea was even happening."

Yuri didn't move to sit up. He didn't appear to be in pain, but Flynn knew that Yuri was good at hiding things, especially from him. "Brave Vesperia was hired to be escorts. It was my job to be there. And the wedding was supposed to be hush-hush." He shifted a bit and a soft cringe escaped his lips.

He wanted to complain; to tell Yuri why he should wear more protective clothing, to tell Yuri that he really should have been prepared for the worst, that they should have had more people there to help so that Yuri would not have been the only one in the line of fire. He wanted to say all of these things, but his lips were sealed tight with frustration. He leaned down over his friend, one hand planted firmly on the sofa. He wanted to thank him, to strangle him for the stunt, to press his lips against those pained ones, but he pushed these thoughts back. Their hands were so close that Flynn could feel the heat of Yuri's. What an inconvenient time for those inconvenient feelings to come bubbling up. "Yuri, I don't understand why you do these things to yourself."

"A 'thank you' would be nice," the dark haired man replied staring back at him.

He already owed Yuri so much without owing him his life too.

"Whatever," Yuri said, just as Flynn opened his mouth to reply. "So what are you doing here?"

"I had come to question you about the attack on Lady Marta." He wanted to pull back and stand straight, but something wouldn't let him. He was bearing down on Yuri, and sometimes, that proved to be the most effective way to get anything out of him.

"What about it?" Yuri said. He finished pulling his hair out of the ponytail, and that dark curtain of it cascaded over his shoulders and across the couch pillows.

How he longed to tangle his fingers in that black hair. He was getting distracted. He felt like he was being teased. Flynn felt his face grow a little hot and hoped that he was not blushing. He cleared his throat, and then spoke, "We have the attempted assassin in custody, but she is not talking."

Yuri raised an eyebrow.

"She bit her tongue off," he continued.

"The only thing I know is that there were supposedly rumors around Dahngrest about some of the guilds not being very happy with the idea of Harry marrying the daughter of an Imperial noble. We were hired to make sure nothing happened," Yuri said, his gaze never wavering.

Flynn knew that he was not telling him something. "Yuri, this is important."

"I told you what I know." He looked away.

"Yuri..." He leaned in a little further, as if threatening.

"Flynn!" A cheerful voice called from the staircase.

He turned.

Estelle was standing at the bottom of the stairs, smiling.

"Lady Estellise." He pulled away from Yuri, and bowed respectfully. "I had not realized that you would be here."

"Yes." She moved over toward them. "I heard that Yuri was injured and in need of some medical attention."

"It's just a scratch," Yuri said.

It was not just a scratch. Even with healing, it would likely scar. Flynn had once taken a hit for Yuri, the mark of this still evident on his chest and back in the form of a large, dark spot from that often bothered him at night. What bothered him more were the memories associated with the time and the place where he got it. He had almost lost Yuri and he was not prepared for those feelings again.

"Stop worrying about me, Flynn," the dark haired man said.

"If I don't worry about you, who will?"

"You never change." His voice was like a knife.

"Neither do you," Flynn replied, just as sharp. He knew where this was going.

"Can this wait a few moments?" Estelle apparently knew where this was going too. She scooted past Flynn and sat down on a stool next to Yuri. Within just seconds of using her healing powers, Yuri's injury started to heal, the flesh knitting itself closed. The dark cut was soon gone and a silvery scar left in its place.

As he watched the wound closing, Flynn noticed another odd scar. It was short and vaguely star shaped, marring his flesh over his kidney. It was older, but not from their childhood. Had Yuri gotten this one during his efforts to save Terca Lumireis? He resisted in asking, knowing Yuri would write it off as nothing as he did with most everything.

Instead he almost immediately restarted the argument. "Why didn't you block that attack?"

"Hey, no one important got hurt. What's the matter?" Yuri replied nonchalantly.

"Yuri, you got hurt!" Rage was rising white hot in his throat. He hated his part of Yuri, the self-destructive, self-sacrificing part that didn't care if he was injured if everything else was fine. "Even after everything, you haven't changed one bit!"

"Jeez, Flynn, don't get so worked up." Yuri sat up and waved a hand in the air the way he always did when he wanted to make something seem unimportant.

"You would sooner die than admit that you were in any pain or in need of help! You've always been that way." Flynn grabbed him by that wrist in midair.

Yuri instantly clenched his hand into a fist. A fighter's reaction. Those lean muscles tightened beneath his fingers. "You haven't changed either, Flynn. Commandant or not, you're that same old worrywart, bitchy Flynn." The regular cockiness was gone from his eyes. He was serious. He pulled away from Flynn's grip as if it were nothing, and stood.

"Yuri!" Estelle said, moving to stop him.

"I'm fine now, Estelle. Thanks." He smiled at her briefly, and then returned to glowering at Flynn. "I'm not a child, Flynn. I don't need you hounding my every step about this or that."

"Give me one good reason not to." He matched Yuri's gaze.

Those charcoal eyes were blazing. He didn't have to speak for Flynn to know what he wanted to say. For a long moment, neither moved to look away from the other.

"I'm going out," Yuri managed, through angrily clenched teeth. He left, slamming the guild door behind him.

Flynn was overcome with the desire to punch something, the tension rose in his arms but he dispersed with a deep breath. He wanted to punch Yuri, to try and explain why he was an idiot, and why he worried so much for him.

"Flynn..." Estelle said quietly. "Why do you two have to argue so much?"

"I'm sorry that you had to see that, Lady Estellise." He was ashamed that she had to witness their quarrel.

"Why can't you both just admit that you care about each other?"

He was shocked by this. In spite of her naivete, she was pretty intuitive. He had to wonder how much she knew.

"You two are like brothers."

He let out a small sigh of relief. Maybe she hadn't realized his true feelings for Yuri. They were not by any means brotherly.

"You know, he trusts you more than anyone." She turned to him slightly, her hands folded in her lap.

"What?"

"He told me once that you were the only person that he could trust completely," she explained. "And once, you told me the same about him."

He was at a loss for words. Had Yuri really said something like that?


	3. Chapter 3 - Drown

Author's Notes:

So I forgot to mention that the stuff I write goes some zero to _fucked up_ in no time flat. Surprise!

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 3 - Drown

He had a pint in hand and mostly down his throat before he realized that Judith had slid up next to him, watching him through amused, half-lidded scarlet eyes. Through the corner of his eye, he could see Karol at another table, eating from a large plate of desserts, enjoying himself after a successful mission.

"You and Flynn have a spat?" She cocked an eyebrow at him and smiled.

"Something like that." He paused his drinking just long enough to reply. With the tankard still at his lips, he ordered another.

"You should take it easy on the ale. Best not to fill a healing body with too much of the spirits," she said.

He downed the next one, and ordered a third.

"Yuri..." Her smile now was a face of vaguely disguised concern. "You really care about him, don't you?"

When she said that, he felt every emotion coming flooding back, threatening to overtake him, but he forced them down just as he always did. His fist clenched the third tankard. There were things that Yuri could never tell Flynn. He had vowed himself that much. It was better this way.

Judith's gloved hand touched his gently. "No matter how strong you are, if you keep bottling these feelings of yours up inside, you're going to explode one of these days."

Yuri remained tightlipped, staring down into his mug. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol swirling around inside of him, or the tightness in his chest and the cold fear in the pit of his stomach and the anger in his throat causing him to feel so uneasy.

"Why don't you just tell him?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied finally, trying to maintain his smugness. There was a tinge of it still, but nothing like normal.

Her scarlet eyes looked deeply into his. His charcoal eyes stared back. He tried not to falter.

"Let's get you back to headquarters," she said.

"I'm fine," he replied. "I'm going to stay just a little longer. Go on without me." His head bobbled a bit with a swirl of liquor, but he tried to maintain his countenance. At this point, he didn't really care if she could see right through him just like always. He didn't want to go back. He didn't want to risk Flynn still being there. He didn't want to risk being overcome by his feelings and saying something that he couldn't take back.

"Alright," Judith said, and then sauntered out of the bar, Karol beside her.

Yuri ordered another two drinks, which the barkeep delivered along with a message that he would be not receiving any others after this because he was already entirely too drunk.

Those two drinks came and went easily. He decided to just rest his head on the table for a moment before heading back to headquarters to get to bed. He only needed a moment's rest to recompose himself in his drunken state.

* * *

He woke with a bit of a start as thunder crashed over his head. He was moving but it wasn't his body doing the moving. It was slow movements with slight swaying. Was he being carried? He lifted his head a little bit, finding his nose buried in a short mane of well-trimmed blond hair. The scent filled his nose, warm and bright like sunlight, and clean. He recognized it; a scent from his childhood, from those tough times and the one person in the world that he had been able to rely on in those days.

"Huh... You're... not Judy..." he stuttered, barely audible, lifting his head slightly. The blond hair his face was nestled in was certainly familiar.

"So you're awake," Flynn said, stern but quietly.

It took Yuri another moment to get his bearings. It was dark in the city of Dahngrest, and a late summer storm was brewing overhead. The blond knight was carrying him piggyback. He felt a surge of pain and anger when he realized this.

"Put me down." He managed to have a sharp edge to his voice in spite of his inebriation.

Flynn sighed, and gently set him down on the cobblestone street against a wall. They were close to the guild's building at this point, but he decided to oblige his drunken friend. "Yuri, what the hell are you doing? Getting drunk and passing out at the bar. This isn't like you."

Yes, Yuri was reckless, and even a little self destructive if left to his own for too long, and Flynn was obviously worrying that this was where this was going.

"I just had a couple of drinks and was just resting my eyes," the dark haired man replied.

"Yuri Lowell..." Flynn started sternly. The Commandant meant business when he used his friend's full name.

"Don't you start with me and that condescending tone!" Yuri barked at him. It seemed as though Repede was rubbing off on him a bit. He tried to stand up, bracing himself against the stone wall.

The blond was taken aback a little bit by that. He had seen Yuri angry before, but he had rarely shouted except when he was really upset.

"Yuri, I'm just worried about you," Flynn said. "You and I both know that you don't take very good care of yourself..."

"What the hell do you know?" He staggered towards his friend a little bit.

"Why the hell are you acting like this?!" Flynn barely realized that he had started shouting as well. "I'm just worried about you!"

Hot, bitter angry words rose in his throat from their last argument, although he couldn't manage to get any of them out. Instead he just shouted incomprehensible words and his fist connected with Flynn's face.

Quickly this action degraded into the two of them rolling around in the street as the rain started to come down. Punches and insults flew. Flynn briefly felt like he was at an advantage (surely he could fight better than a drunkard) until Yuri pinned him to the ground, straddling him, and hit him in the face a few more times.

"You don't understand anything, Flynn." He was no longer shouting. It hurt his throat too much. His eyes were burning with tears that he refused to cry and he hoped that the rain masked them from his friend's sight. Those feelings that he held back so often were threatening to consume him.

"Yuri..."

The dark haired man grabbed the blond knight's collar and closed the distance between their faces. He kissed him, rough and clumsy. It was barely a kiss. It was more like having an alcoholic smack their face against yours in an attempt to kiss you. Even still it surprised Flynn. Yuri's mouth was warm and tasted like cheap ale.

In pure shock, he hit Yuri, knocking him to the ground, and out cold. He scrambled to his feet and stood there looking down at his oldest friend, unconscious in a nearby puddle. He was breathless. He wasn't sure it was from the fight or from the shock of the apparent kiss. Flynn calmed and moved forward.

"Yuri." He reached down and shook him lightly.

He was limp, but breathing. He picked him up again. There was no complaint from the dark haired man. He must have hit him harder than he had intended.

He carried him through the rainy Dahngrest streets back to the small, ramshackle building that was Brave Vesperia's headquarters. There were several lights on inside, in spite of how late it was. Yuri's companions must have still been awake, probably worrying after him.

He didn't even get a chance to knock on the door. It flung open before him, Karol standing there, with Judith and Estelle behind him seated at the conference table.

"Yuri!" The thirteen year old was obviously worried for his friend's condition.

"He's fine," Flynn said.

"What happened?" Estelle stood and helped Flynn get Yuri upstairs to bed.

He couldn't find a voice to reply, with the truth or with one of a million lies that he would have liked to have told to cover his actions.

"Looks like the poor thing picked a fight at the bar," Judith said with just a hint of sarcasm, covering for him. She looked back at him, her eyes shining with the truth as she led the way up the rickety staircase that led to Yuri's room in Dahngrest.

As soon as they entered, Flynn could tell that the room was definitely Yuri's. The bed was sloppily made, and clothes were bunched up and left in corners. The small desk was covered in papers, and -gasp!- books that Flynn knew that people had lent to Yuri, who had very little intention of ever reading them. There were water spots on the floor from where Yuri's long hair must have dripped after every shower.

Judith turned down the messily assembled covers and lit the lantern on the bedside table. Flynn slid the body of his friend off his back and onto the bed. Even with the bruises that were going to form on his face, Yuri looked more peaceful that Flynn had seen in years. He wanted to touch him, just to make sure that he was really there, that he was really okay, but he resisted. Estelle pulled a stool up beside the bed and started to use her healing artes on him.

"Don't push yourself too hard, Lady Estellise."

"I only wish that I had an arte to help with drunkenness." She smiled up at him, and recovered for a moment before she would cast again.

"It would be wasted on him," Flynn said quietly.

"He'll probably have a pretty mean hangover in the morning," Judith smiled. "Maybe that will teach him."

Flynn knew that a little hangover would not even slow Yuri down. Sickness or health, Yuri would be all over the place doing as he pleased the next morning. Nothing had ever been able to stop Yuri. Not even Flynn himself.

Estelle used her artes again, and the swelling on Yuri's face and hands started to ebb more. She sighed, and looked over to Flynn, "I'm afraid that's probably all I can do. He'll need to rest."

"Lady Estellise," Flynn started, clearing his throat. "I hate to say it, but we really must get back to camp. We need to depart for the Capital at first light."

"But Flynn..." She was obviously still worried for their friend.

"Don't worry, Estelle," Judith chimed in. "I can take care of Yuri. You both have important business to attend to, so please just leave him to me."

"Thank you, Judith," Estelle stood and bowed a little to the Krityan. "Tell Yuri that I said goodbye when he wakes up."

"I will. And I'll make sure that we all stop by for a visit to Zaphias as soon as possible," Judith smiled.

As they walked down the stairs to leave, Flynn looked back briefly to see Judith smiling at him, and her mouth moving as if she was whispering, maybe to him, maybe to the drunken sleeping Yuri.

* * *

He woke groggily, trying to sit up but his head was spinning, so he stopped. He cursed himself and his night of drunken fighting.

Yuri looked around. He had somehow gotten back to his room at the Brave Vesperia headquarters. He wondered if he had managed to walk, but then remembered Flynn hitting him hard enough to cause him to black out. He sighed. Flynn must have carried him here.

"Good morning," Judith said cheerfully from the door. She stood there with a tray in her hands, and Karol beside her.

"Hey," he replied quietly.

"Here's some breakfast." She slid over to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

He shrugged a little. "Tired mostly." He tried once more to sit up and finally succeeded. His head was throbbing. It could have easily have been the fight or the alcohol that was causing it.

"Yuri, what happened?" Karol asked, moving to stand next to the bed.

He forced a smile. "Oh, I started a bar fight with an idiot." He took the tray from Judith. It was plain porridge, an old standby for hangovers, and a cup of tea. Yuri ate as much as he could stomach. It wasn't bad, but he just wasn't very hungry. "Thanks, Judy."

She took the tray back from him, but didn't comment on how much he had, or hadn't eaten. Instead, she set it on the stool next to the bed.

Yuri stretched and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His feet touched the cool wooden floor and recoiled a bit. Someone took his boots off last night, and he didn't bother to guess as to whom. He planted his feet firmly and stood. He was momentarily disoriented, but a little hangover wasn't anything he hadn't handled before.

"Should you really be out of bed already?" Judith asked.

"I'm fine," he smirked. "Is that worry I hear?"

"Not at all," she smiled back. "I just don't want you jeopardizing our mission because you're hungover."

"Wow, alcohol is scary," Karol said.

"That's right, Karol. It's better if you never touch the stuff," Yuri replied, bracing himself briefly against the wall.

"Then why do you drink, Yuri?" innocent childhood questions these were.

"Because I'm an adult." Yuri countered the question with the least logical answer. He couldn't say something like 'because I have things I want to forget', 'because I want to drown every bit of misery in my body', or 'because I'm pissed and I just want a drink to calm down'. These were reasons that a kid really couldn't understand.

Karol furrowed his brow. "Well, whatever. I'm going to go say goodbye to Nan before we leave for Yurzorea." The thirteen year old bolted down the stairs.

Yuri smirked a bit. Ah, a young boy in love. He remembered what that was like. Only very briefly, however, and then pushed back those things once more where they would lie dormant for a while.

"Are you sure that you're fine? You were in a pretty sad state when Flynn carried you back here," Judith asked again, and followed Yuri as he headed downstairs. The conference room was empty, save Repede who was dozing on the couch.

Yuri remembered most of their rainy fist fight, and some of the things that followed, but he really preferred not knowing . "Yeah, I'm fine." He took a seat on the couch, and briefly scratched behind Repede's ear before the dog moved to the floor to avoid him. "What? Are you mad at me, too?"

Repede huffed, and padded into the kitchen.

"What the hell?"

"Maybe Flynn wasn't the only one worried about you," Judith smiled. She was packing lunch for them for the trip. Her pack was already on the table, and it dawned on Yuri that he had yet to pack his own bags.

He swore and headed back upstairs.

For Yuri, packing was the process of shoving things that he planned to wear into a bag however they would fit with little mind to how wrinkled they might get or anything else for that matter. Because of this, he was packed in a moment.

By the time he was done, Karol returned, flustered looking.

"What's wrong, boss?" Yuri was relieved to be on the asking end of that question this time.

"Nothing!" the kid smiled and scratched the back of his head. "Um... the Don's here actually and he wants to talk to us..."

Raven poked his head in from outside, Harry standing behind him.

"Hey guys," Raven said, and slid into the room. Harry followed him.

"I'm sorry to intrude," Harry said. "But I came to thank you all for what you did yesterday, especially you, Yuri."

Yuri threw his pack on the table and shrugged. "It's what you hired us to do. How's the wife?"

"She's doing well, thanks to you. Although, she is finding it a bit difficult to believe that one of her friends tried to assassinate her," Harry explained. "If you would please convey my thanks to Commandant Flynn as well, that would be most appreciated."

Yuri looked at Judith a little confused. Wasn't Flynn camped right outside of Dahngrest?

"We will as soon as we are next in Zaphias," she said.

Flynn and Estelle must have returned to the capital, then. Yuri was relieved. He really didn't want to run into Flynn after some of the things that happened last night.

Harry set down a sizable bag. From the sound it made when it hit the table, it had a lot of gald in it. Probably more than they were originally offered. "I must take my leave of you, but this is compensation for your services. My wife and I thank you." He glanced briefly to Raven, and nodded. He was gone after a moment.

Karol picked up the bag gingerly. It was heavy. "Wow! With this we've got enough to make sure that we're really stocked up before we go, and the rest can go into fixing this place up when we get back."

Yuri leaned over and ruffled his hair a bit. "So did Nan kiss you this time?"

"W-What?!" Karol almost dropped the bag, but Raven caught it, and Judith retrieved it from those hands quickly. "H-How did you know...?"

The dark haired man smiled, and poked Karol on his cheek, "You've got some lipstick right here."

Karol babbled on for a few moments about what did or didn't happen, but Yuri wasn't listening. He grabbed his bag.

"We ready to go, boss?"

"Yeah! Lets go guys! Brave Vesperia's got a mission!" He jumped and cheered. It made Yuri smile seeing the kid this enthusiastic.

"Would you mind if Ol' Raven came along?" the scruffy man asked innocently.

"Huddle!" Karol called out, and he and Judith and Yuri stood at the end of the table whispering for a moment, before Karol emerged with a decision. "Alright, you can come, too!"

After leaving Dahngrest, they were on Ba'ul and off flying.


	4. Chapter 4 - Council

Author's Note: Making chapter titles is hard. And you can thank my friend suspiciouspopsicle for the fic even getting _this_ far. If it weren't for her encouragement, I probably would have given up some time after chapter two.

Sorry for the weird perspective switch and then switch back early in this chapter. Sodia had a lot bigger of a part in this fic than I had initially intended.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 4 - Council

After the long journey, he was glad to be back in Zaphias. As much as he liked traveling to the world beyond the capital, the city held a very special place in his heart. He had grown up here. He and his childhood friend had had grand adventures down in the Lower Quarter. Even though life had been rough, they still managed. He joined the Imperial Knights, he rose through the ranks, he met Lady Estellise, and now was Commandant.

Flynn groaned a little when he thought of his childhood friend, Yuri Lowell. Part of the groaning was directly related to his black eye and swollen lip. He wished that he had asked Estellise to heal him, but she had been exhausted already and he assumed that his own injuries after their heated argument weren't too bad.

He tried to shake this off as he sat down at his desk. It was hard to get Yuri out of his head. He opened his desk drawer and looked down at the mass of papers there. Letters. Dozens of them that he had never finished and never sent. He slammed the drawer quickly and reached for a lower one. He pulled out a few sheets of paper. He needed to write up the report about what happened in Dahngrest outside of their fight while it was fresh in his mind. He pulled the pen out of the ink well and began to write.

After just a few moments, he found himself at a standstill. The report was going on just as normal, until he realized that he was no longer writing about the attack, but his fight with Yuri.

Frustrated, he stuffed his page in the top drawer with all the others.

"Sir?"

He turned sharply. He hadn't heard Sodia enter. She was standing there looking at him in concern the way she often did. He was never quite sure why she seemed so concerned, but he had never asked.

"Sir, are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Why?" he replied.

"That's quite a shiner you have." She indicated his bruised eye. It must have been darker now than it had been. "What happened?"

He groaned again, but not audibly, thinking about it. "I ended a bar fight with an idiot. It's nothing to be concerned about." Thinking about the fight once more, his thoughts drifted back to Yuri's clumsy, drunk attempt at a kiss and his face felt a little warm. Surely he had been trying to get a rise out of Flynn. He liked to do things every now and then just to get a reaction, and that must have been one of those things. He enjoyed seeing Flynn startled or shocked or rattled since it happened so rarely otherwise.

"Would you like me to fetch a healer?" she asked.

"No, that won't be necessary," he said. He would let it heal normally so that he would not soon forget how angry he was with Yuri.

* * *

Sodia knew when she saw the Commandant's face that it was not simply a bar fight as he said. He very rarely was seen in or near a bar. He did not drink, save a glass of wine with dinner. She knew that her rival had been in Dahngrest, and that, as ever, he had Flynn's attention. They must have had a fight. Yuri Lowell was the only one Flynn ever got very angry around. The dark haired man was so good at getting under his skin like no one else. Perhaps they had gotten into a very heated argument and fists had flown. Yuri was the only person that Flynn fought against with all of his strength, and yet, they seemed so close.

He once told her all sorts of tales, great things about Yuri, but after meeting him, she found so few of those things true. Perhaps the Commandant's eyes were clouded with childhood memories and he was unable to see the truth. Yuri Lowell was a troublemaker, a miscreant, a malcontent, and a vigilante. She was certain of these things. And yet, she knew that Flynn felt he could trust no one else as much, no one else could take Yuri Lowell's place in his eyes. Try as she might.

Her hands shook with a violent, guilt-ridden rage when she thought about him, and about the actions she had once taken against him. She still felt a surge of guilt when she thought about that day at Zaude. She worried that he would tell Flynn about her violent attempt to cut him out the Commandant's life, but he had not. She resolved that she would one day tell him, but she had not yet done this. It was hard to gauge how he would react. He was usually very even-tempered, but when it came to anything about Yuri, it was a completely different story.

"I actually came to inform you that the Council has called a meeting," she said.

* * *

He had just returned and the Council was already hounding him. He wondered briefly what it could have been about this time. He stood from his desk. This was not something that he wanted to deal with right after his return from Dahngrest, but he had little choice.

"Let's get this over with," he said, trying not to sigh.

The Council's conference room was down a few flights of stairs from his own room, and down a hallway that lead out of the currently unoccupied throne room. It was a large and richly decorated room, filled with tapestries outlining the Empire's history and the faces of many of the previous Emperors. The table within was long enough to seat nearly thirty, as it often did. The Council currently numbered thirteen men and ten women, and there were seats for Flynn and the four Knight Captains, and Their Royal Highnesses Estellise and Ioder.

The Council was already assembled. Estellise and Ioder were not there, and neither were the Knight Captains. Flynn was meant to be cornered by the Council, and he knew it.

"Commandant Flynn." The head of the Council, Iksar, nodded as he entered, and motioned for him to sit. "Now that you're here, let us get down to business."

"Certainly," Flynn replied, sitting in the dark wood, straight backed chair at the end of the table that was his place of honor. The Council sat in a semicircle at the other end of the table, a few seats distance between them. Their influence and their alliance to each other was strong, and many of them disagreed with Flynn being Commandant at the age of 22, when people who were previously in the position were hardened soldiers at the age of 40 or more.

One of the members of the Council stood among his peers. He was a young man compared to many of the others, even with his grey hair. Flynn knew that he was sharp and was not afraid of pushing his power around. His yellow eyes scanned the room, and then fixed on Flynn.

"As you know, Commandant," Councilman Idaizeus said with the barest traces of a hiss. "We are trying to colonize Yurzorea. Our main objective with this colony is for the abundant natural resources that this continent has to offer. But we have a problem. The people report that there have been monster attacks day and night, and rather than requesting reinforcements, the acting magistrate, Councilman Loandr, has hired a _guild_ to protect the city."

"This is a time of peace between the Guilds and the Empire. Can we not act in accordance and work together?" Flynn asked. He was getting a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"The problem is not in our unwillingness to work together, so much as blatant high treason!" The Councilman spat. "Are not our Knights, _your_ Knights, a shining example of law and order in our government, and he still hired this fledgling guild?" He was trying to get Flynn angry. It wasn't working.

"I do see your point, Councilman. Our troops should be backing up our people. With this in mind, I will send a brigade to assist our colony and I will personally contact Magistrate Loandr to ascertain the situation." Flynn maintained his calm.

"And why would he hire a novice guild, no less? I have never heard of this 'Brave Vesperia'," one of the councilwomen said, chatting with her colleagues.

Flynn cursed to himself. He should have known that Yuri would be involved wherever there was trouble to be found.

The meeting was adjourned shortly thereafter, and Flynn walked through the palace to the barracks, where he knew that he would find the person for this job. All of the knights stopped what they were doing and immediately saluted him as he entered the room. He saluted back, and pressed onward to the officer's lounge.

He could hear a great bellowing voice as he moved on. He entered the officer's lounge and saw LeBlanc seated, playing cards with Adecor and Boccus.

"How in the hell do you keep winning?!" He slammed his cards down.

"Sorry to interrupt, gentlemen." Flynn cleared his throat.

The three of them jumped to attention, but he waved them at ease before they could properly salute him.

"Commandant, what brings you here?" LeBlanc asked, his voice, as always, a little louder than was needed for normal conversation. He was a huge ape of a man, heads over most knights, with a neck as big around as tree stump. He was not the most competent of the captains, but Flynn knew him well, and knew that he could entrust him with any task. This was the main reason he had made him Captain after Schwann resigned shortly after Alexei's defeat. This was a task for which he needed someone who he could trust, and it didn't hurt that LeBlanc and Yuri had a bit of a history.

"I need to speak with you privately, Captain," he said.

"Of course, Sir!"

Flynn allowed LeBlanc to follow him out of the barracks. Through the long, hollow sounding, polished palace hallways they walked. They went all the way up to Flynn's state room where he shut and locked the door behind the Captain.

"Please, have a seat," Flynn said.

"Thank you, Sir." LeBlanc sat on the couch. It seemed amusingly miniature compared to his stature.

Flynn stood. If he sat, his legs would be moving endlessly in nervousness. "Captain LeBlanc... I need you to keep this in the strictest of confidence."

The large man listened intently.

"I have a mission for your brigade." Flynn started pacing across the dark blue carpet a bit. He tried to resist. "You and your brigade will be going to Yurzorea, with the intention of reinforcing the current troops at the colony of Vonael. You will deliver two letters that I am to write. One of these letters will be for Magistrate Loandr. The other will be for the guild working in the colony." It was best to tell him straight so that there was no surprise at all. "Specifically, the letter is for Yuri Lowell."

LeBlanc was visibly taken aback by this.

Flynn continued, "I need you to keep an eye on the Magistrate there. This is very important. There are some rumors going through the Council regarding the very serious crime of high treason. I need this very thoroughly investigated. I need to know what is happening there in Vonael."

"You can count on me, Commandant." His voice was quieter than normal. He could tell that this situation was dire.

"I know," he replied. "I will draft the letters. Please prepare to leave before dawn tomorrow with your brigade." He couldn't say it, but he was relying on LeBlanc a great deal.

"Yes, Sir." LeBlanc stood. "If I may be excused."

Flynn nodded and moved to his dark, wooden desk and started the letters. The letter to the Magistrate was long and professional. It asked about the current status of the new town, and, among other things, about the hiring of Brave Vesperia. He wanted to understand what had motivated this rather than jumping straight to the treason conclusion.

The second letter to Yuri was much harder to write. Politics came pretty easily for Flynn, but dealing with Yuri was quite a different story. It took him two rough drafts before he was able to perfect what he wanted to say without saying anything stupid or that he would regret.

He sealed both letters with his official emblem in red wax. He locked them both in a drawer in his desk.


	5. Chapter 5 - Distance

Author's Note: Sorry if LeBlanc's height in the last chapter threw you for a bit of a loop. There are almost no references for him and I think I remember him being at least as tall, or taller than Adecor. I could be wrong, but at this point, I've done so much other research for this fic that I think I can let that slide.

* * *

Chapter 5 - Distance

It was late and the darkness of the night spread across the land. The only light that pierced this darkness was from the candles within the homes of the village, and the small campfire that they set up near the gate of the high stone wall that surrounded the place. In the forest that surrounded them, they could see hundreds of eyes shining just beyond the reach of the light of the flames. Yuri and Karol sat on crates by the fire, with Repede lying on the ground. Judith lingered near the wall.

"Quite a lot of them tonight, huh?" Judith said, leaning against the cool wall, spear in hand.

"At least they're keeping their distance this time," Yuri replied, stoking the fire a bit.

It was the fourth night in the village of Vonael. The three nights prior to this, the local monsters had been circling right at the walls, their presence ever threatening the villagers. Brave Vesperia had driven them back to the point where they would not come toward the village at night, but simply watch and wait for an opening in the dark.

Halfway across the world from Zaphias, Yuri felt as if he could breathe a sigh of relief. Flynn was not breathing down his neck endlessly, the Knights were not watching his every move, and... it felt a little lonely. Not that he would have ever admitted that to the others. Their last argument kept playing over and over again in his head. The bruises had faded, but there were some wounds that were still fresh in his mind. There were wounds that time would heal easily. He thought of the kiss. It was stupid! Why had he done that? He had promised himself that he would never let those feelings take over him.

"Something wrong?" Judith asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

"What? No." He hadn't even noticed that he was touching his lips until that moment. He moved his hand and set it defiantly down on his knee.

A whole world away and he was still thinking about Flynn.

Repede jumped to his feet, growling, back arched, head down. He was staring out into the darkness where those eyes were still staring at them.

Yuri was on his feet in an instant, sword unsheathed and in hand.

A trio of very large wolves crept out of the darkness, their razor tooth lined maws gaping and growling. Their dark, shaggy coats were splattered with blood, and made them barely visible out of the darkness. Their red eyes shone with a fierce intensity the like of which hadn't experienced in quite a while. This would be a challenge, and a welcome one. This was just what Yuri needed to get his mind off Flynn.

"About time," Yuri smirked. "I thought I was going to be waiting all night."

Judith stretched, and lifted away from the wall. She twirled her spear and crouched into her standard, fluid fighting stance, "Good. I'll actually get a little warm up tonight after all."

"Lets get 'em guys!" Karol shouted, and took the offensive.

The trio lunged forward and Yuri moved in just as fast. He swung his sword low, and then brought it up across the throat of one of the wolves. It turned to him at the last instant, and snapped at his legs. He shifted his weight onto his other foot and kicked it square in it's jaw. It snapped and the wolf went flying across the field. He sprinted after it.

Battle was exhilarating. He was able to completely clear his head and think about nothing else. He didn't have to worry about what was going on half a world away. He had a problem in front of him right now, and he was able to solve it in the way he felt most fitting: with his fists. If only it were so easy to solve problems with Flynn this way.

The wolf he had been attacking stumbled to get up, broken jaw hanging. It was bleeding badly from the wound across its neck, but showed no signs of giving up. It came at him again, but Yuri was ready. He focused his energy and moved in to finish the fight. He thrust his sword through the beast's thick hide. It yelped and fell. He pulled the sword out, and prodded it briefly with his foot. The monster was indeed dead.

Yuri turned to find that Judith, Repede and Karol had finished off their opponents as well. He was breathing a little harder than usual, and his chest was aching a little, but he said nothing. It was nothing worth note. It was probably just all the work he had been doing lately.

"That was short," Judith sighed. She had been expecting more of a challenge.

"Sorry to disappoint," he smirked.

"Hey guys..." Karol started, looking out into the dark forest around them.

Those hundreds of shining eyes were closing in just as the wolves had.

"Looks like it's not over just yet," Yuri said, taking stance again.

"Good," Judith smiled.

A swarm of monsters came forth, dozens of them, and Brave Vesperia was once more in battle. It was the grey, pre-dawn hours of the morning before the monsters retreated, slinking back off into the darkness of the forest. They were exhausted, and as the knights rose to take their place, they crept toward the little shack that was their temporary home.

Yuri was especially tired. He couldn't remember ever being this tired before in his entire life. His muscles ached and his eyes were heavy. A good nights sleep would fix that. Well, a good day's sleep. As long as he could manage to sleep through the construction going on around town.

He kicked off his boots, and pulled off his vest and belt. He was too tired to change into pajamas at this point. He flopped down on the bed, head hitting the pillow. He heard Repede trot in and lay down beside the bed. He reached down and scratched the warrior dog on the head.

Repede let out a tired huff.

"Yeah, me too. G'night."

Yuri rolled over and pulled the blankets up over his head to mask the sunlight that would be coming in his window any time now. The simple bed was comfortable, and he was asleep in no time at all.

* * *

"Yuri Loweeelll!" A thunderous voice woke him from his near dead sleep.

He jolted straight up. He knew that voice and he knew what it meant. For one reason or another, he was in trouble. He pulled himself out of bed and pulled his boots back on. He immediately wondered how LeBlanc had arrived in the growing little town of Vonael and why on earth he was looking for him of all people. Or how he even knew he was there.

As he moved through the shack, he found that Judith and Karol were already awake.

"Morning," Judith smiled. "Well, afternoon, really. Sounds like someone is looking for you."

He groaned.

"Indeed someone is," Raven said from the doorway. LeBlanc was standing behind him, and Adecor and Boccos lingering in the background. He entered, and his former lackeys followed.

"What's up, LeBlanc?" Yuri asked, grabbing a muffin off the table and taking a bite. He wasn't prepared for this first thing in the morning, but it was better to deal with it now.

"I say, that's 'Captain' LeBlanc to you!" the taller knight said.

"Oh?" Yuri mused. "Since when have you been a Captain?"

"Since the Commandant was gracious enough to promote me," LeBlanc said. "Now, stop changing the subject, Lowell!" He handed Yuri a letter, sealed with red wax and the seal of the Imperial Knights. "The Commandant has ordered that I deliver this to you."

"Wow. In all the years we've known each other, Flynn never bothered to write to me," There was a definite note of sarcasm to his voice. Flynn had only written to him once, during the beginning of his journey with Estelle over a year ago. Not that Yuri was sure he would have bothered to read any letters from Flynn anyway. He popped the seal open easily.

The letter was short, thankfully.

_Yuri,_

_ I received news that your guild was hired to work in conjunction with the Knights by Magistrate Loandr. I ask that you cease immediately, rescind your offer, and leave. Please do me this favor and spare us both a lot of trouble._

_ Flynn_

He crumpled the letter up and handed it back to LeBlanc. "You can tell Flynn that he can forget it." The second letter he had ever gotten from Flynn turned out to be an order, and an order that he had no intention of following.

"I thought you might say that," another voice said from the door.

Yuri turned. He had just woken up and he was already pretty tired of people barging in.

This was a man he had never seen before, and he instantly knew that he was glad for that. He was a Magistrate from the Council, as evidenced by the lavishly decorated dark green robes that he wore in the same cut that he had seen every other Councilman wear. His hair was grey, cut into a neat bob, with a clean-shaven face. He was younger than many of the Council members that Yuri had previously encountered. Facial hair was a popular style among the Council. Just by looking at him, Yuri could tell that this person was no good. He found himself to generally be a good judge of character.

"And you are?" Judith asked.

"Idaizeus, the new, acting Magistrate of Vonael." He looked to LeBlanc. "You are dismissed."

LeBlanc saluted, and looked at Yuri out of the corner of his eyes. The look in his eyes bore concern, as if to warn him that something deeper was going here that he was not yet aware of. He and Adecor and Boccos turned and left.

Yuri got the hint. This was someone he needed to watch out for. "And what brings you here, Magistrate?"

"I have come to order you to leave immediately," he said. "Your services are no longer required here with the reinforcement of troops."

"No can do," Yuri replied.

Karol, Judith, and Repede were ready to back him up.

"You see, we weren't hired by the Empire. We were hired by the citizens of Vonael," Judith said.

"We took the job and we're going to see it through!" Karol chimed in.

Idaizeus was obviously none too pleased. He remained calm enough, though. "Have it your way. You can stay for the time being." The Councilman left, letting the door slam behind him.

Yuri sat down at the table, and finished his muffin. Judith pushed a cup of tea under his nose.

"So, what was the letter about?" she asked.

"Flynn asked us to leave as well. He seems a little misinformed. He believes that we were hired by Loandr." They had never even met Loandr. In fact, when they arrived in Vonael, they were told that the Magistrate had to return to the capital on an emergency.

"That seems a little suspicious," Judith replied. "Perhaps we should keep a close eye on this Magistrate Idaizeus. Especially if Captain LeBlanc felt the need to warn you about it."

Yuri agreed. He already didn't like where this was headed, and they were less than a week into their mission.


	6. Chapter 6 - Fever

Author's Notes: I forgot in Chapter 4 to mention that I'm running a pun counter. It's currently only at 1, but that's okay. They come out when I write and I just don't have the heart to take them out or they work way too well. If you can find it, you win a fictional cookie.

This chapter would have been up a couple of days ago, but I've been super busy with school work and I had a convention this past weekend. After this week, things will roll a little more evenly.

* * *

Chapter 6 - Fever

A few more days passed in the growing town. Brave Vesperia still protected the city at night, even with the presence of the Imperial Knights and Captain LeBlanc. As often they disagreed, when it came to protecting the town, they banded together.

The nights of fighting easily dissolved into days where Yuri became unable to sleep. Whenever he would lie down to sleep, his body would ache, and he would roll around for a while, before finally getting up and doing _something_. More than a few of those sleepless days, he spent helping out around the town. One day he helped raise a barn. Karol showed up after some sleep to help out, too. Maybe he was just restless being in a new place.

This particular day, Yuri spent much of the day reclining on top of the stone wall that was shaded by some of the nearby trees. His bed was comfortable enough, but this was calming. The sounds of the forest eased him, birds singing and the cool breeze drifting through the leaves of the trees. It was a cool and comfortable autumn afternoon. He stretched and yawned. Looking out into the forest, he could not see any of the threats they faced at night. The monsters of this area definitely favored the hours between dusk and dawn.

Yuri looked back toward the town. A few more buildings had been added since their arrival. And there had been quite a lot of construction of the Magistrate's manor, somewhat to his disgust. The manor was almost complete after only a few days. Yuri had a feeling that perhaps the Knights that were brought with Idaizeus were not merely for protecting the town. Abuse of power was one of the biggest problems that he had with the nobles. If he had the evidence and had he believed that writing to Flynn about this might have changed anything, he would have. But a world away, Flynn's influence here was minimal. Surely the ever by-the-book LeBlanc would have something to say to the Commandant about this.

"Why, don't you look cozy?" A sarcastic voice came from down below. "Shouldn't you be working?" It was Idaizeus, glaring up at him with those snake-like yellow eyes.

"Sorry," Yuri smirked. "I'm off the clock."

"I warned them about hiring such a neophyte guild," he replied.

Yuri shrugged. They were still a small guild that was not very well known.

"All of you guilds are the same," the councilman continued. "Idiotic, uneducated extremists."

"Yeah, yeah, think what you want." Yuri was resisting the urge to punch this guy. It would only cause more trouble for the guild and for Flynn. He still had a job to do here.

"It was a mistake that I will soon remedy." The Councilman walked off as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Yuri wondering about his motives behind coming to the growing village in the first place.

He knew that many of the Council members had very low opinions of those in the Guilds, as if they were traitors who threw off the shackles of the Empire for freedom as Yuri had done. Even with the on-going peace talks, many of these opinions were firmly rooted in people's minds. Yuri once had even believed those things until he was able to see the guilds at work. Many guildspeople were from the lower class like himself who, with their own merits, rather than status and money, made themselves into powerful people. Kaufman, who ran Fortune's Market, had once been a beggar who, through her cunning now ran the largest market guild in the entirety of Terca Lumireis. The original Don Whitehorse had been a mercenary who started the most powerful of the guilds.

He returned to his reclining position and closed his eyes. Just as he started to doze off (finally), there came a bark from down below. He opened a single eye and looked down to Repede and Judith standing there with a picnic basket.

"Ready for some lunch?" she asked.

Yuri wasn't really hungry, but he jumped down anyway. It looked like sleep was going to elude him again.

* * *

"Sir, a missive has arrived for you from Vonael," Sodia said, waking Flynn.

Somehow he had drifted off to sleep at his desk. He shook his tiredness off, and took the letter from her. It was from LeBlanc, reporting back on the situation. He had been waiting for this.

"Thank you, Sodia," he said. "You are dismissed.

She seemed a little surprised by this order, but left anyway. He had not involved her in the possible problems rising in Vonael. Not because he couldn't trust her, but because he needed to limit the number of people to as few as possible. So far it was only he and LeBlanc, and possibly Yuri depending on what kind of trouble he was getting himself into.

The letter was disheartening.

_Commandant,_

_ We have encountered several problems here in Vonael. Magistrate Loandr has gone missing, reportedly to return to Zaphias, but we have seen no evidence of his departure. Magistrate Idaizeus has taken control of the colony, and I am worried about the possible ramifications of this. The final problem is that Yuri Lowell and Brave Vesperia refuse to terminate their mission and leave the colony. They are still performing their duty, even at the objection of both Magistrate Idaizeus and myself. I fear that if the situation is left as such, trouble is sure to follow. I await further orders on the matter._

_ LeBlanc_

Flynn ran a hand down his face, annoyed. He could feel a migraine brewing deep in the back of his brain. Why couldn't Yuri do as he asked just once? Was it wholly unreasonable to believe that Yuri could be reasonable for once? He agitatedly smoothed back a bit of his blond hair and thought about what to do next.

There was a missing Magistrate. There was a Magistrate who had initialized this whole venture, who had now taken control of the colony with unclear motives. And then there was Yuri, who would no doubt cause trouble, always prone to push back if pushed. He would not take orders from LeBlanc, or anyone else for that matter. He would do as he pleased, as he always did. Flynn was starting to feel that he was going to have to go to Vonael himself and fix the situation.

* * *

Another two nights of fighting and two more days without sleep were really starting to wear on him. He was glad that their two weeks was almost up. He was ready to sleep in his own bed again.

"Yuri, you look awful," Karol said.

"I'm fine," he replied with a yawn. He didn't care about the dark bags under his eyes.

"You don't look fine," Judith said, a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He waved her comment away and stared at the campfire that they had blazing once more. It was nearly dawn, and Yuri was glad for that. He was so tired now that surely he'd be able to get some sleep. He wasn't even sure when the last time he slept was.

Yuri took a deep breath, feeling the air rattling around in his aching chest.

"Alright, Lowell!" That thunderous voice was welcome this time. He had never been so glad to hear it. "Your shift is up! Git outta here!" LeBlanc and men came marching out of the village.

Yuri stood up and Brave Vesperia started back to their shack. His bed was calling for him. He would definitely get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow was their last day. And then he could return to Zaphias.

He hadn't thought much of Zaphias until that moment. Flynn must have been there, pitching a fit over Yuri's blatant disregard for his request. He thought about the argument that they would have over that. He also thought about the argument that they had recently had. It had been nearly two weeks since he had gotten drunk, then after that with overflowing feelings... he didn't want to think about what else he had done.

Rather than eat with Judith and Karol, he crept straight toward his bed.

Just as he was pulling his boots off, a knock came at the door. He ignored it. He didn't care. Judith answered it. It was two of the knights that had accompanied Idaizeus.

"You are requested to come before the Magistrate at once," the first said, hiding his face behind that standard Knight's helmet.

"Can it wait until we've had a little rest?" Judith crossed her arms across her chest and eyed them.

"Magistrate Idaizeus was firm that he had to speak with you immediately," the second said.

Yuri growled low and under his breath. He looked down at his bed. He was prepared to ignore this order and just get some sleep.

"If you refuse, we have been ordered to take you into Imperial custody," the first added.

He grabbed his sword, angry energy rising in him. He would go, but only to avoid getting arrested. "Let's get this over with." The Magistrate was already someone whose very presence in the village grated on Yuri's last nerves. He had constantly up to this point berated them and the villagers over the littlest things. He pushed the villagers hard to finish his manor and the village. He was leaving a bad taste in Yuri's mouth. A taste very similar to those left by first Magistrate Ragou, and then by Captain Cumore. Other than these things though, he had very little reason to feel this way about Idaizeus. He just had that feeling.

Brave Vesperia, followed by the guards, walked through the village and to the large, nearly finished manor that was looming dark in the back.

The main portion of the manor was finished. It appeared as though the west wing was still the one in construction. As they entered the main hall, it was already decorated in the style popular with the nobles. Dark furniture and hand crafted tapestries and paintings depicting one's ancestors and family crests, and other such status symbols covered nearly every surface. If nobles were good at one thing, it was showing off. The hall that they walked was long and lit with a power source that he could not easily recognize. At this point, he didn't really care though. He was already half tempted to ignore the order, get arrested and sleep in his cell.

The guards led them into a large room off of the main hall. It was decorated similarly. The grey haired Magistrate was waiting for them, sitting in a huge plush chair, arms folded across his chest.

"What do you want?" Yuri asked, annoyance plain in his voice. He shifted his weight onto one foot and put his right hand on his hip.

"Watch your tone with the Magistrate," one of the guards said.

"Brave Vesperia, your work here in Vonael is completed. As the Imperial representative of this colony, I order you take your leave," Idaizeus said. It was as if he still believed that he had any sort of control over them.

Yuri looked to Karol who nodded.

"We can't! We still have one more night before our job's done!" Karol said vehemently.

"We won't leave our jobs incomplete," Judith added.

"You seem to misunderstand," the Councilman cleared his throat. "If you do not leave, I will have the Knights escort you out. You even being here in the first place was an error on Magistrate Loandr's part."

"What ever happened to Loandr? We have never even met him," Yuri said.

"He is currently in Zaphias, waiting trial for high treason," Idaizeus replied. "Because he allowed the people to hire a guild to protect an Imperial colony rather than request the aid of the Imperial Knights."

"That's a pretty stupid reason to try someone for treason," Yuri replied. "After all, it's not like the Knights were doing a great job here." As soon as he said that, he felt like that was a snipe against Flynn, although unintentional. The Commandant was really doing his best and it was hard to monitor thousands of knights at once. Even if Flynn was trying, there were still troops who were still reluctant to accept many of the changes that the new Commandant was making. It took a long time to weed out the undesirables.

"It is none of your concern who the Empire deems as traitors. That Commandant is so close to committing treason himself," Idaizeus hissed with contempt. "Cavorting freely with extremist guild members."

Yuri narrowed his eyes. He clenched his fists. Those were fighting words and Yuri was a fighter. Even if he was mad at Flynn, he still knew that Flynn was the one person who deserved to be Commandant, who had the power and the ability to change the world. The idea of someone endangering this dream was infuriating.

"Don't think I haven't heard all the stories about you and the Commandant," the Councilman sneered. "And your rather... dubious... friendship, shall we say. Such things could be rather scandalous if anyone of any real importance found out."

"You can say things like that, but Ioder and Estelle already know that Flynn and I have been friends since we were kids," Yuri replied. He got the feeling however, that this man was not bluffing.

"Defend him all you want. That doesn't change anything. If I had it my way, that upstart would never have been given the position," Idaizeus retorted angrily. He kept his eyes ever on Yuri.

Yuri took this as a challenge. Flynn had not been _given _the position of Commandant. He_ earned_ it through hard work, determination, and the trust placed in him by the Imperial Candidates. Yuri knew that if anyone could change the world, it would be Flynn. He believed in that. He believed in the dream that Flynn had for Terca Lumireis, and he would fight to save Flynn's dream even if it meant dirtying his hands again. His hand was on the handle of the Second Star. His vision was growing red.

Judith grabbed his shoulder and gave him an unusually stern glance. She must have had a feeling about where this was going.

The guards were prepared, their swords in hand as well.

"Threatening a member of the Imperial Council, Yuri Lowell?" Idaizeus was sneering at him again.

"It's not a threat. It's a promise," Yuri said coldly and turned. "Brave Vesperia will see their mission through to the end. Tomorrow is the last night that we were hired for. After that, we'll leave, and there is nothing you can do to stop us before then." Yuri didn't wait for a reply. He was too tired and too angry to deal with this anymore. He exited the manor, his boots hitting the marble floor hard with each enraged step, Karol and Judith in tow.

As soon as he was out of that suffocating building, Yuri's step faltered, and he wobbled into a wall. He breathing had become suddenly ragged, and his whole body felt like flames were washing over it. He leaned against the wall, doubled over, one hand on his knee, the other on his chest. His lungs burned and the world around him was spinning.

"Yuri! Are you alright?" Karol was right there at his side. He only stopped shaking when the boy grabbed his arm to check on him.

"I-I'm fine," he lied through his teeth, trying to stand up straight.

Judith's hand slipped under his hair and laid flat across his sweaty forehead. "You're not fine. You're burning up."

He tried to push her away, his vision darkening but she grabbed him firmly by his other arm.

"We're taking you back to the house," she said. "You've got to rest."

He knew that somehow he got back to the shack because the next thing he knew, he was laying in his bed, covered up, with a cool cloth on his head. Judith was at his side, and he could hear Karol stomping around outside of the room.

He groaned, and looked around with bleary eyes.

"It's good to see you awake," Judith smiled.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You blacked out about an hour ago while Karol and I were trying to get you back here. Raven even helped out," she explained.

If he struggled a little to focus, he could see the bright purple and yellows that Raven wore positioned somewhere behind Judith's shoulders. Was he there too, witnessing him in this miserable state?

"Morning, sunshine." He could hear Raven's twangy voice. It echoed around it his head for a moment before he was able to process it. "It looks like whatever it is hit ya pretty hard."

Yuri mumbled something, trying to ask about what he had, but the words only came out as awkward sounds.

"We're not sure what you've got just yet," Judith removed the cloth from his head, and returned it wetter and cooler a moment later. "You've got a pretty bad fever. We've got a doctor on the way. Don't worry."

He felt incapable of worry. He was racked with pain and weariness. This could not have only been due to a lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation never made him feel like this. He groaned in reply. That seemed to be all he was capable of.

He didn't know how long he laid there, drifting in and out of blackness, until sweet sleep washed over him.


	7. Chapter 7 - Wake

Author's Notes:

Warning, heavy symbolism ahead. When I wrote Yuri's dreams, I rolled my story dice for the major components. I took them and ran with the symbolism.

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 7 - Wake

The ground beneath him was warm and smelled of earth and flowers. Cool, dew-laden blades of grass tickled his arms and face. He slowly opened his eyes, and cringed a little, blinded by the sun. He covered his dark orbs, and slowly sat up. He was sitting in field of sunflowers underneath the warm summer sun. The tall yellow flowers stood all around him, seemingly happy to absorb the light of their namesake. There was a cool breeze drifting through the field. It was as nice a day as anyone could ask for.

Yuri stood, and stooped down to pick up his sword. The Second Star wasn't there. Instead his fingers found a weathered and dirty wooden sword. He picked it up, examining it carefully. He knew this sword. It had been one that he carried around proudly until he was able to afford a real sword. The number of duels he used it in could be counted in the notches up and down its length. It was a relic of his past that he still kept, mounted carefully on the wall where he could admire it and remember his childhood days if he wanted to.

He had not wanted to think about those days recently, but with the very touch of the sword, they came rushing back. All of these were important instances in his past that had shaped him and shaped his decisions even now.

He looked out across the field. It was nothing but wilderness for miles, the sunflower field eventually gave way to the forest, and the forest to the heavy, hazy, dark blue mountains lingering in the distance. He turned to look behind him and was met with a pair of beautiful, clear sky blue eyes.

"Flynn...?" he asked, a little curious. What was he doing here?

Flynn looked normal, he supposed, even if he wasn't wearing his armor. His blue and white tunic, and the long sleeved black shirt and pants he wore underneath covered him. He was standing there smiling softly.

"What are you doing here?" Yuri asked. "What am I doing here?"

"I'm sure that you know," the knight said.

"But I don't know," he replied.

"I guess that doesn't matter. As long as we're both here, right?" Flynn said. He held something out to Yuri.

It was a bright, blood red apple, shining in the sunlight.

"Flynn..." He reached to take the apple. It looked delicious, but he pulled his hand away at the last moment. He couldn't bring himself to touch it.

"Yuri, take it," Flynn urged.

He couldn't. His hands stopped working. Try as he might, he couldn't take the apple from his blond friend. He wasn't lost in those eyes. His heart wasn't pounding so hard in his chest that it felt like it could explode. He didn't long to push his friend down in the flowers and kiss him.

"Yuri..." Flynn said gently, looking a little sad. He pulled the apple toward his own body. "I'm sorry. I guess this couldn't be what you wanted. You never did tell me what you wanted. You're always so worried for others that you forget that you're human too. You have needs and wants. What is it that you want?"

His mouth wouldn't open to answer. Yuri reached up and found that his mouth was gone. He felt, panicked, around his face, but couldn't find it. The answer was hot in his throat. He wanted to say it, for the first time ever.

"What is it that you want, Yuri?"

He struggled and tried to answer even without his mouth. He reached out to grab the blond, but suddenly he was gone. Yuri spun around, but there was no sight of him. He tried to call out, but still could not speak. He tried to scream.

_Flynn!_

* * *

It was morning when the Knights found Councilman Idaizeus. He had been slashed across the chest and was lying in his own bed, in a pool of blood and bed feathers. His body was cold; he had been dead for a long while now, at least overnight. Upon questioning Idaizeus's personal guards, they found a viable suspect.

Yuri Lowell had been seen in an argument the day before, and had threatened the councilman.

The ship made landfall on the continent of Yurzorea. Flynn was glad to have his feet on the solid ground again. He had enough control of his seasickness that he was able to hold himself together, but it was still annoying. It was a brief march to the colony of Vonael. This city he didn't haven't to make camp out of. It was an Imperial city and they were more than welcome within the walls. But what he found when he got there astonished him.

Many of the knights were on high alert, and the people were locked up in their houses. The shops were closed up. It was dark and quiet and unnerving. This was no way for a village to feel.

He found LeBlanc, lingering with his troops at the large manor house that was along the north edge of the village. Something was amiss.

"LeBlanc, what's going on here?" he asked.

"Oh, Commandant!" he was surprised by Flynn's presence. He gathered himself. "We have a serious problem. Councilman Idaizeus was found murdered in his bed this morning. After an argument."

"Is he still inside?" Flynn asked. This was not something the he was prepared for.

"Yes, Sir. I'll take you to him." LeBlanc led the way through the manor. The interior was much more completed than what he had expected for a manor that had been started only a few weeks prior. Compared to the state of the village, this place was nearly complete.

They arrived at the Magistrate's lavishly decorated bedroom. Everything was splattered with blood. Idaizeus lay cold and dead on the bloodied silk sheets of his own bed. The look on his face was of shock. It had been a surprise attack, a night intruder. It was a horrifying scene.

"Who is the prime suspect?" he asked coldly, although somehow he already knew. He wanted to think that it could not have been true. At the same time, he knew the truth.

"Yuri Lowell, Sir." LeBlanc swallowed hard. He knew the history between them.

Flynn stayed calm, even if he wanted to fly off the handle about it. He didn't have the time, and this was not the place. "Where is he now?"

"In the shack where he and his friends have been staying while in Vonael," LeBlanc replied. "It looks as though he's laid out having fallen ill."

That surprised him. Yuri had been sick before, he had suffered hangovers, but Yuri Lowell never stopped moving. He wasn't capable of holding still for more than a few seconds at a time, and was always running away from someone or dodging things getting thrown at him, or taunting the city guards.

"Take me to him," Flynn said. Yuri was once more in trouble for murder. He knew what Yuri had done about a year ago while fighting to save the world, and he knew that the dark haired swordsman had no regrets about it. Yuri did not take what he did lightly however. It would sit in the back of his mind and always be there so that he would never forget what he had done for the good of others. Even if Flynn didn't agree with his course of action, he believed in Yuri.

They left the manor and Flynn then followed the captain to a small, hastily assembled house near the wall of town.

"What was the argument about?" Flynn asked, nearing the house.

"I'm not sure, Sir. Idaizeus's guards only said that there was an argument and Yuri tried to draw his sword against the Councilman," the captain explained, trying to keep his voice down.

A million thoughts were bustling in his head. Yuri was the prime suspect, and he had to be arrested, but at the same time, he didn't want to believe that Yuri would commit murder over something as frivolous as a disagreement, no matter how hot headed he was. He had to arrest him. He wanted to believe in Yuri's innocence, and hoped that Yuri would understand. This was for his own good. He had a plan.

He knocked on the door, and after a moment Judith answered.

"What a pleasure seeing you here, Commandant." She smiled, and let him inside the tiny building.

"I need to see Yuri," he said. It had come out more urgent that he intended.

"Yuri's very ill," she replied, looking sad.

"It is very important that I talk to him regarding the murder of Councilman Idaizeus," Flynn said.

She looked shocked. "I can vouch for him. I was beside him all night."

His neck felt suddenly hot. Yuri and Judith weren't _together_ were they? _B-Beside him... wait what I don't even_... "I'm sorry?" was all he could manage. He hoped that she didn't notice as his face grew warm too.

"I sat by him all night. He's in very bad shape," she explained. "He's asleep right now. What questions did you have for him?"

Flynn tried to clear the knot forming in his throat. He coughed a little. "I need to know what the disagreement between Yuri and Councilman Idaizeus was about."

"It was about our job here. And about you."

He looked at her, eyes a little wide.

"The Councilman said that he wanted us to leave the village and that he would use force if necessary. And then he mentioned how he believed that your friendship with Yuri was traitorous. Yuri got angry, as Yuri does, and was about to start a fight. I stopped him. We left, he collapsed a few steps outside the manor house, and we brought him here, where he has been in bed since yesterday before noon," Judith explained. "See for yourself if you like." She gestured to a closed door behind her where Repede was standing guard.

He took a few unsure steps forward and put this hand on the doorknob. He looked down to Repede, who responded with a soft wuff, and a wag of his long tail. He slowly opened the door and took a step in. He turned and shut the door behind him before he even looked at Yuri. He wanted just a moment alone.

The dark haired swordsman was definitely laid up in bed. He looked small and pale lying on his back on that bed. His white hands were on top of the bed covers, fingers dug into the blanket. His fevered face seemed like he was in so much pain. He looked so vulnerable like this. If he had been like this since the day before, there was no way he could have murdered the Councilman the night before.

He took a quiet step toward the bed, and then another until he stood right beside Yuri.

Flynn gingerly moved a bit of Yuri's hair away from his pale face, where it was plastered by cold sweat. The dark haired man stirred and opened his eyes slightly. Those half-lidded charcoal eyes stared at him a feverish state.

"Yuri..."

He smirked a bit, as much as he could muster in his state. "Heh. I must be dreaming. Flynn's here and he's not yelling at me or scolding me." He was muttering mostly to himself.

"Yuri, what have you been doing to yourself?" Flynn's voice remained soft and concerned.

"Oh, wait. Here comes the scolding." Yuri sighed raggedly. His chest sounded pretty badly congested. "Guess I can't even be nice to myself in my own dreams."

"This is what happens when you don't take care of yourself," Flynn started. "I don't understand why you bear everything on your shoulders like it's nothing."

Yuri's face became serious. He knew he wasn't dreaming. "There are some burdens I can't share with anyone. Even you, Flynn. I thought you would have accepted that by now."

He couldn't accept that though. He wouldn't accept that. His dearest friend was hiding things from him as always. Deep, dark, powerful, scary things. Flynn knew it, and he wanted to help. He didn't want Yuri to have to bear these things all alone.

"Why are you even here?" Yuri spat a little bitterly.

"Can't I be worried about my oldest friend?"

Yuri sighed and looked away.

Flynn took his chance. He slid his fingers down Yuri's arm and gently took a hold of his wrist. Before Yuri could react, he leaned down and pressed his lips against the dark haired man's mouth. The taste of his friend was much different than last time; cool and bitter like medicine. The wrist that he held twitched in his hand, those lean muscles moving to make a fist again, and then calmed as he pulled away. The kiss was brief and chaste, but he still felt breathless.

Yuri looked at him, partially in shock, partially in pain.

"Please leave," the dark haired man said, his voice wavering a little bit as he looked away. He rolled over onto his side, facing away from Flynn.

Now Flynn was the shocked one. "Yuri..."

"I don't know why you came here, but I know it wasn't for that." He sounded disgusted.

He had almost forgotten his original purpose there. Now the idea pained him, but it was his duty. He did not have the time for his resolve to waver. He cleared his throat and choked back his hesitation. This was the path that he had chosen and he couldn't stop now. He knew that this was for the best.

"Yuri Lowell-"

Yuri snapped over to look at him, one fist on the bed to turn himself over at a moment's notice, anger in his eyes. He was expecting another scolding, soon to be followed by an argument as usual. He was obviously in no mood for this.

"You're under arrest for the murder of Magistrate Idaizeus,." He couldn't look at him anymore. He looked straight ahead instead, avoiding any eye contact. He steeled himself. He had to go through with this. This was the only way. Maybe Yuri wouldn't understand. Maybe Yuri would never understand, but Flynn had no choice.

"What?!" Yuri tried to sit up. Judith and Karol entered the room, just in time to push him back onto the bed.

"Flynn..." She looked at him questioningly.

A set of royal guards entered the small room, followed by Sodia. Even she seemed surprised by his state.

"Yuri is very ill, Flynn. You can't move him," Judith said, pressing a hand on Yuri's shoulder to keep him in the bed. Her eyes lacked the normal play of light and amusement that he had seen before.

"I am well aware of his condition," Flynn replied, voice hollow. "He will be transported back to Zaphias immediately however for the purposes of a trail. We have a medic on board and he will be cared for."

Judith opened her mouth to argue, but Yuri managed to push up against her, startling her slightly.

"It's fine, Judy," Yuri said, nearly panting from just that effort exuded.

Flynn closed his eyes. It bore a horrible hole of pain in his heart to see his dearest friend like this. He turned to his guards. "Bring the stretcher-"

Yuri cut him off, standing shakily. His clothing was soaked in sweat, his hair was matted from sleep, his skin was so pale and sickly looking. "Don't bother. I'll walk."

"Yuri!" Flynn snapped in surprise. His stubborn nature was still strong even though he was this weak.

The dark haired man shot him a glance. Brilliant and fiery, those charcoal eyes blazed. It spoke with a million words. It told the Commandant that if he was going anywhere, it was going to be on his own terms. Even if he couldn't walk, he would have crawled to the ship rather than let them carry him. Yuri's raw pride wouldn't allow it.

Flynn sighed, and grabbed Yuri's boots from beside the bed. "Put these on. We can't have you getting any worse."

"Your worry is, as usual, unnecessary." His voice was like ice. He snatched the boots and with a little help from rather worried Karol, got them on his feet.

That sentence hit Flynn like an ax to the chest and the icy tone chilled him to the bone. He wasn't able to explain to Yuri just yet what he was doing and why, as much as he wanted to. He convinced himself again that this was what was necessary. He watched briefly as the royal guards and Sodia escorted Yuri out of the small building and toward the ship.

"Flynn..." Karol said from beside him, voice full of worry and fear.

What could he have said to assure him that this was right?

"Don't worry," Flynn said. "Everything will be fine." He was talking to himself as much as he was to Karol. He walked out, stiff and unfeeling, leaving the rest of Brave Vesperia behind in the wake of what he had done.


	8. Chapter 8 - Noble

Author's notes: You would not imagine how much sleep I lost working on this story.

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai

* * *

Chapter 8 – Noble

Yuri's burning brain rocked with the uneasiness of the choppy sea the whole way back to Zaphias. He knew a doctor came in and checked on him fairly often, and that a decent meal was delivered three times daily, although he really couldn't remember eating or even what the food tasted like. His mouth tasted like ash and whatever unbearable medicine they had been pouring down his throat. He couldn't really remember sleeping or waking, but a sort of half sleep for the whole ride.

Flynn had come in more than once, he knew that much. He had looked down at him with those clear, sky blue eyes, filled with pity and worry. Yuri had managed to speak on at least one occasion. He wanted to complain at Flynn, but he didn't remember what words he was able to use, or if they even made sense once they left his lips.

Another occasion that Flynn visited, he remembered very clearly. He had been conscious enough to speak and to hear and understand. That didn't make him want to punch Flynn any less. Occasionally, late in the night between tossing and turning in his makeshift bed, he could overhear the guards talking.

"It's got to be tough for the Commandant, being friends with this miscreant," the first guard would say.

"I've heard that they've been friends since childhood," the second would add. "But he doesn't go easy on him even because of that."

"That's really noble of our Commandant. Bringing your friend in for a crime. That takes a really strong sense of morals," the first would reply.

Flynn didn't feel noble for this thing that he had done. He felt awful. When Yuri was well enough to understand what was happening, perhaps he'd explain it to him, even if he would be intensely angry about it. He would explain that it was the path that he had chosen. He wanted to sit in the cell with him, or let Yuri rest in his own bed where he would have been more comfortable. He wanted to hold those shivering hands, to try and ease the pain, to stroke that dark hair away from his face, but he knew that, for the moment, he could not.

It was two days before they arrived in the capital, Zaphias, and two days of suffering for Yuri. The medic on board had not been able to do Yuri any good. At least his condition had not worsened since leaving Vonael. It was still hard to see him like this. When they arrived, he insisted once again on walking rather than being carried. Flynn reluctantly allowed that, as even sickly, Yuri was stubborn as hell.

As soon as they had him secured in the dungeon with a few extra blankets to keep off the cold, Flynn went to Estelle's room. He could hope that she would be able to help.

He knocked on her gilded door, and after just a moment, she answered. "Oh, Flynn! I didn't realize that you were back from Vonael." She was smiling cheerfully.

"I just returned. I have a favor to ask you, Lady Estellise." He tried to look her in the eye, but could not. He couldn't imagine what she would have to say when she learned about what had happened.

"What do you need?" Ever eager and cheery.

"I need you to please take a look at Yuri and see if you can heal him," Flynn said, using as few details as possible.

"Yuri's hurt?! Where is he?" Estelle said, alarmed.

"I'll take you to him. Please follow me."

The halls of the palace seemed even more hollow than they usually did. The walk to the dungeon felt like it took hours instead of the brief minutes. She had tried numerous times to ask about Yuri's condition, but he hadn't found the words to tell her. He opened the door to Yuri's cell, where he lay on the cot, still pale and shivering, and barely awake.

He was in a rough shape. The boat trip here had not been kind.

"What happened?!" She was shocked and rushed to Yuri's side.

"He's been like this since I arrested him." He wanted to hesitate, but he did not. There would be no hiding what he had done.

Her green eyes looked at him in surprise, "Wait... what?" She looked to Yuri and then back to Flynn. "You... arrested him? In this condition?"

Flynn looked away. He couldn't look at her.

"Flynn!" she shouted, and her small, gloved hand swept across his face with all its might. "How could you?! He could die! You owe so much to Yuri!" If nothing else in the whole world made her angry, endangering her friends most certainly did. "How could you watch him suffer like this?!"

It had not been easy. It had been painful to watch Yuri go through this. Flynn felt that he had done what he could to help, but also felt like it was not enough. Nothing he could do to help Yuri with anything was ever enough. Even taking that hit at Zaude for him felt like a pitiful act in comparison to everything Yuri had done to stop the Adephagos, to stop Alexei, and save the world.

"A medic tried to treat him, but nothing has helped," he tried briefly to explain, but saw from the look in her eyes that it was useless unless he was going to spill the beans about everything.

"I still don't understand why..."

"Yuri is the prime suspect in the murder of Magistrate Idaizeus. It is my duty to arrest him for a crime that he was accused of, whether or not he's my friend," he replied calmly. He felt that it was better that he had gone to arrest Yuri than to have sent someone else. This was for his own good, he continued to reassure himself. If Yuri wasn't going to take care of himself, Flynn certainly was. This was the only way he could think to take care of him now.

She opened her mouth to argue, but Yuri spoke up.

"Estelle... don't worry about it." His voice was pretty weak.

She wanted to continue, but she stopped, turning away from the Commandant. It took all her strength to manage the jab, "I can't believe that you would do this to your best friend." It wasn't even a jab. She was saying what she felt needed to be said, she was saying the truth. Even Judith, Karol and Repede had been shocked by his actions.

He steeled himself once more. He wanted to explain, but he could not. Now was not the time. Maybe in the near future he could explain, but he had more important things to do right now. "This is the path that I've chosen."

Estelle knelt and took Yuri's pale hand in her own, and with a flash of green glyphs in the air, cast a healing arte on him. His shaking calmed slightly and a little color returned to his skin.

"Don't worry, Yuri. I'll have you back to new in no time." She stood from her spot and walked back over to Flynn, anger still rampant in her eyes. "I need more blankets. And a decent meal for Yuri."

He nodded, and arranged these things with the guards. She was also allowed to come and go as she pleased without question. She would supervise the making of his meals in the kitchen, and anything else that she wanted.

After he was done, arranging these things, he crawled up to his room. He pulled off his armor, and crept into bed. It was still before dinner, but he didn't care. He felt miserable. He didn't want to see anyone else. He wanted to lie down and not have to hear or see or be reminded of the things that he had just done, of the choices that he made. He still tried to remind himself that this was for Yuri's own good. This was what was best This was the only way to protect him. And Flynn vowed that this time, he would do what was necessary to protect his friend, even if Yuri hated him for it.


	9. Chapter 9 - Discord

Author's Note: Things will get worse before they get better.

* * *

Chapter 9 - Discord

He woke late that night. It was dark and quiet in his large room, only the white light of the moon coming in his window washed over him. He wanted to roll over and pull a pillow over his face and go back to sleep. He had no idea what time it even was.

Flynn shifted a bit in his bed sheets and tried in vain to go back to sleep. He didn't know how long he fought with sleep before he realized that it was useless. He threw off the bed covers and sat up. He was still in his white and blue uniform. He hadn't even bothered to change before he went to bed. He smoothed back a bit of his sleep-roughened hair. Guilt sat cold and heavy in his stomach.

He stood and moved into the state room. It was dark and quiet there too, so much so that it was unnerving.

Maybe just at little peek down in the dungeons to see how Yuri was doing couldn't hurt. He hadn't been wracked by nightmares of his friend's condition and the guilt he felt about it. He tried to shake this off. Estelle was taking good care of him, he was certain. Yuri was tough. A little illness wouldn't take Yuri down. He would be fine, especially in Estelle's caring hands. He was out of danger now. There was no longer a need for him to worry. But still, he decided to go.

Flynn walked down the long hall, nodding to the guards as they saluted him. They didn't seem to think it was anything odd to the see the Commandant up so late. They could have easily believed him to have been working this late. The walk down to the prison seemed much shorter this time. Perhaps because he was in a rush.

The guard on duty let him in without a question. "Good evening, Commandant."

"Good evening," Flynn replied dryly. "Would you excuse me? I would like to speak with the prisoner in private."

"Of course, sir!" the knight said, and walked up the stairs out of the dungeon. Once Flynn heard the door shut behind him, he moved to the first cell where he had locked Yuri up earlier that day.

Much to his surprise, Yuri was sitting up, leaning against the wall. His condition seemed to have improved greatly due to Estelle's tender care. He noticed Flynn immediately, looking up at him just slightly from underneath his dark hair.

"What brings our great Commandant to this humble prison?" His words were almost acidic. He was obviously feeling better.

"It's good to see that you're feeling better."

"What do you care?"

Flynn looked at the ground. He could have bored holes in the floor just to keep from looking at Yuri. "Of course I care, Yuri."

"Really?" Yuri cocked his head to one side. This was not a gesture of surprise, but a mocking one instead. "You could have fooled me."

"Look, there are things that you just can't know yet. I'm doing what I have to do," Flynn replied.

"Last time I checked, _abduction_ was not a form of caring," Yuri said. He shifted around in the blankets a bit, and put his bare feet on the floor. "You didn't even bother to ask me if I did it."

"Yuri..." He bit his lip.

"Did you think that I would have lied to you about it?" the dark haired swordsman asked. He managed to stand, taking a step forward. His condition has indeed improved. His legs didn't wobble as much. He was regaining his confident gait. "You know what? Never mind. It isn't like this is the first time that you've doubted me."

He couldn't hold it in anymore. "Yuri, I know that you're innocent of Idaizeus's murder."

Yuri _was_ shocked this time. He started to talk but Flynn stopped him.

"Your condition was bad enough that you could barely walk, much less murder someone. Judith vouched for you too," he explained. "You wouldn't have done something like that over something like an argument, even about a mission. I know you're innocent, but proving that is much more difficult."

"Why the fuck did you arrest me then?!" Yuri grabbed the bars, his faced pressed against them.

"You wouldn't understand, Yuri..." Flynn said. He pulled back from the cell a little, but Yuri grabbed him by the front of his coat. His arms were strong enough to pull him back.

"Damn it, Flynn, what the hell is going on?!" the dark haired man shouted, pulling Flynn's face close to his own.

He pushed him back, a little harder than he intended since Yuri stumbled a bit before catching himself. He wanted to hit him. This was not the first time he felt like a good punch to the face might express his feelings better than words. If Yuri was well enough to almost start a fistfight with him through prison bars, he would definitely be fine.

"This is for your own good, Yuri," he said. "If you're here, you can't get into any more trouble. I will catch the person who is responsible for this. You will stay here and recover." He backed away from the cell door once again. "Please trust me."

He didn't wait for a reply. He was satisfied that Yuri was feeling better, even if he was infuriated with him now. Flynn trudged back up to his room. Just as he was about to lie down and try to sleep once more, a knock came at the door.

He opened it to find Sodia.

"Sir, an urgent missive has arrived."

Flynn took the letter from her, and opened it. The contents were what he was waiting for.

* * *

When Estelle came back down to the dungeon bright and early, she was relieved to find Yuri awake and able to move around. The night before, he had insisted that she go to bed rather than sit up with him all night. She didn't want to, but he seemed to be feeling better after a few uses of her healing artes, so she let him rest.

"Are you feeling better today?" she smiled. The guard let her in, and then locked the door behind her. She was carrying a tray with a hot breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast, and a cup of tea. She handed it to him.

"I am," he replied, and started to eat. His table manners weren't great, but she didn't mind.

"That's great, Yuri. Have you seen Flynn today?"

Yuri growled slightly, although not at her. "No. It seems as though the Commandant is too busy to bother. Why?"

"No one else has seen him. I'm a little worried." Her anger with him had mostly faded. He must have had a reason for the things that he had done.

"He's probably off being Flynn, the savior of the world, as usual," Yuri replied a little bitterly between mouthfuls of food.

"I don't know why he did what he did, but I really want to believe that he has a good reason," Estelle said.

He replied with a little groan. Maybe he wanted to believe it too.

She swallowed her pride. She wanted to automatically assume Yuri's innocence, but at the same time, she knew what had he done in the past. If she asked him frankly, it would probably not hurt his feelings, and she knew that he would not lie. Yuri had owned up to what he had done back then, even if he had no regrets.

"D-Did you kill Idaizeus?" Estelle asked in a small voice.

"No," he replied without missing a beat and without a hint of anger in this voice. "Don't get me wrong though. I wanted to."

She felt instant relief and let out a sigh.

"Do you think I'm guilty?" He didn't look at her.

"No!" she said cheerfully. "If you say that you didn't do it, I believe you, Yuri."

Her cheerfulness was infectious. He almost instantly felt in a bit of a higher spirit.

"I'll talk to Flynn and try and reason with him," she said, her hands folded in her skirted lap. "Surely I can convince him to at least take a harder look at the evidence and eye witness testimony. And I'm sure that Judith and the others can vouch for you."

* * *

Yuri wanted to tell her what the Commandant had told him the night before. Yes, there was evidence against him, but Flynn knew that he was innocent. Yuri was merely in prison to keep him out of trouble so that Flynn could catch the real culprit.

"I wouldn't bother," a soft, feminine voice said from just beyond the cell door.

"Judith!" Estelle turned and was at the door in an instant.

"Hello, Estelle," the Krityan said with a smile, and then looked to Yuri. "Feeling better?"

Yuri sat up on the small prison cot. "Yeah. No thanks to Flynn." It was a relief to see her. And even to see Raven standing behind her against the wall.

"He won't listen to reason at all, especially when it comes to any dealings with you, it seems," Judith replied.

Yuri let out a bit of a discontented groan in agreement.

"But either way, we don't have a moment to waste." She brandished a wrought iron ring covered in numerous keys. "Let's get you out of here."

"What's going on?" Judith was rarely in a rush without a reason. Yuri stood, having been willing to make a jail break for a while now, although not of sound enough body.

"Yuri, you should take it easy," Estelle said.

He ruffled her pink hair a bit. "Don't worry. I'm fine thanks to you."

"There are some interesting rumors flying around Dahngrest about the murder," Raven added. "And about the Commandant."

As frustrated as he was with Flynn, this instantly caught Yuri's attention, "What do you mean?"

"Sources tell me that there's a hit out on 'im," he replied.

"Where did Flynn go, Yuri?" Judith asked, unlocking the door. She pulled the heavy iron door open with ease, and allowed Yuri and Estelle to exit.

"As if I know," he shrugged. "He didn't tell me." Of course Flynn was smart enough to not tell Yuri where he was going, and thus lower his chances of being able to follow. Flynn clearly underestimated him. "I'm sure there's clues up in his room though."

"Then let's go," Judith said and smiled. "Won't you show us the way?"

There she was baiting him again. He did end up showing them the way, sneaking past the guards, this time because he had to.

Flynn's room was large, but a little sparse compared to other rooms in the palace. He didn't have much need for knickknacks or finery. He kept things pretty simple. The state room had a coffee table and two sofas for when he entertained guests, or Yuri. There was a pointless placed end table off to one wall, near the balcony window where Yuri had entered so many times, that over looked the garden. A few tapestries hung on the wall, the largest of which depicted the Imperial Knights' crest.

Yuri immediately walked into Flynn's bedroom, through a door off to the far side of the room. His desk and bed were there, along with his armoire and a chest by the end of the bed that contained his personal effects.

"This is going to be our best bet, so let's get cracking," Yuri immediately went for the chest. This would be the most likely place for Flynn to keep something that might clue them in. He opened it, and started shifting around the contents. There were a few things he remembered from their childhood in the Lower Quarter: a wooden sword that was cracked and notched in a few places (Yuri had another just like it), some letters from Flynn's father from when the man was serving with the Knights, a few framed pictures, one of which Yuri instantly recognized.

It was a childlike drawing on a crumpled and stained piece of paper. It was drawn with cheap wax crayons, and depicted a blond boy with short spiky hair and a boy with shoulder length dark hair. They were standing together, holding hands, and smiling with their caricatured faces. Just beyond in a scrawling, sloppy font it read, 'Flynn and Yuri'. Of course he recognized it. He had drawn it, years ago, when he and Flynn had been living on their own, scraping to survive. He thought that this small memory of them had been lost, of the days when they were only able to rely on each other. It made his throat tighten as he ran his fingers along the glass it was now encased it. Flynn had kept this after all these years?

"Did you find anything, Yuri?" Estelle asked, peeking over his shoulder.

He turned the picture over quickly in hopes that she hadn't see a rather embarrassing reminder of his feelings. Not that they were still strong or anything.

"Nothing of note," he set the picture back in the chest, upside down, and covered it with the things he had pulled out before it. His heart was racing and he could feel his hands shaking.

"Me neither." She frowned, indicating the bed.

"Any luck, you two?" Yuri stood, and looked to Judith, who was searching the desk, and Raven, who was rummaging through the armoire.

"Looks like our lucky Commandant has gotten a few love letters," Raven said with a smile, "But it looks like he never bothered to open them."

Instead of replying, Judith motioned for him to come over with a brief wave of her hand. He moved to the desk, while Estelle continued to look around the room.

"What did you find?" he asked.

"Well, other than the possible location of the Commandant." She was smiling, long and thin and devious. She was holding a bundle of papers in her hand. "I think these are for you." She said with a whisper, not wanting to alert Raven and Estelle.

Yuri took the papers and flipped through a few of them. They were letters, dozens of them, in Flynn's handwriting. All of them were addressed to him, and many of them were of a highly personal nature. Some of them were from years ago, while a were few more recent. He was shocked, but he didn't have time to deal with this. He folded them up and stuffed them into his open shirt.

"It looks like Flynn has gone to the Manor of the Wicked." She showed him a communication from one of the Knights. It had some very brief details about the Manor of the Wicked being inhabited again, even with the dissolution of Leviathan's Claw.

Raven stroked his chin, peeking over their shoulders. "I say we get going. Things could get hairy there if Flynn's not properly prepared."

If Flynn was anything, he was cautious, and he would be cautious enough to stake a place out before he made any sudden moves. But Yuri still wanted to punch him in the face. It just seemed like a good reaction after everything that had happened. "Let's go then."

"Can I come too, Yuri?" Estelle asked.

"If that's what you want to do, then I'm fine with it," he said. "Judy, can you call Ba'ul so we can get out of here? I'm sick of this place."


	10. Chapter 10 - Words

Author's Note: (y9.9y) yeah... I know I said it was going to get worse before it gets better, but I didn't quite mean what I inflict on Yuri in this chapter.

I did forget to mention (and I plan to go into more detail with this in my profile at some point) but I used both the game and First Strike to influence my interpretations of Yuri, Flynn, and their relationship. The movie had some impact on this fanfic as well.

* * *

Chapter 10 - Words

They were in the air again after just a few moments. Ba'ul picked them up just outside the city and Judith asked him to head toward Dahngrest. They would pick up Karol and Repede before continuing to the Manor of the Wicked on foot to keep the element of surprise.

Yuri sat alone in the cabin of the ship, reading the letters that Judith had given him. He had crouched in a corner of the bed where he would be able to see if anyone came in, although he was certain Judith was making sure that everyone else was busy.

_Dear Yuri,_

_How are you doing? How are things going in the Lower Quarter? Every time I've stopped by to see you, you seem to be out, and I hear that much too often you have been arrested. I had hoped that our brief time in Ceazontania would have changed you, but I see that it did not._

_These few years apart have made me realize the true depths of my feelings. I miss you. I miss our days in the Lower Quarter and even with where I am now, I wouldn't trade them for anything. There have been things I've wanted to say to you for years, but my courage has wavered every time I see you. I was never able to get up the nerve to come down and see you while I was in town, and while I was away from the capital, I couldn't stop thinking about you..._

Another read...

_I know that you felt like I pushed you into the Knights. And maybe I did. I only wanted us to change the world like we promised we would do as children. Together, you and I are unbeatable, but I felt like you were on a bad path. The things that you were doing just in order to make a living were horrible. They were things I never wanted you to have to do. In the end I know that you have your path and I have mine, but I hope that one day they converge again and then maybe we won't have to be apart anymore._

_If only I could muster the courage to tell you these things that are burning up inside of me. The number of times I've stopped by your room to find you out, and just sat down and enjoyed the warmth that you left in your bed couldn't be counted on both of my hands. The nights I spent passing your window, ashamed of myself for not having the nerve to come up and see you. The number of days I wished that you had climbed in my window while it was raining, just to brighten up my day a little are numerous. The walks I would have liked to have taken with you in the gardens and the dinners I would have enjoyed with you, carelessly brushing my hand across yours taunt me. The nights I wish I had half of your gall so that I could climb into your window, and watch you in your sleep for just a moment, and maybe find the strength to kiss you goodnight haunt me._

Some of these made Yuri feel very hot and uncomfortable, but he kept reading.

_I want to tell you that I love you. I've loved you since we were children, huddled together in the darkness of the night in the Lower Quarter. I'm sorry that I left you there that day after our argument. I didn't want to abandon you. I didn't mean those hurtful things I said. I was too stubborn to be able to tell you my real feelings, to grab you and kiss you and hope that you had it in you to reciprocate these burning feelings. But I'm weak and cowardly. I didn't have the strength to do those things. Instead, I made a rift between us. A rift that has over the years become a canyon, our paths on either side. I can only just barely see you far on that other side and I see no way of getting to you. We've become so far away from each other. I just want to get back to you. What can I do to mend the bridges I've burned between us, and calm the troubled waters beneath?_

After a dozen or so letters, Yuri couldn't read anymore. Most of the letters were written in this horrible, lovesick fashion. It wasn't like he had the same feelings but less words to express them. And a great deal less desire to express them. His feelings remained buried deep inside the grave of his heart where he intended for them to stay. He had resolved long ago for a wide variety of reasons that his feelings were inconvenient, inappropriate, and never to be discussed.

He was glad when they touched down outside of Dahngrest. It gave him a reason to not read those embarrassing letters Flynn had written to him. It was refreshing being out of prison, and being well again, although Estelle was insistent that he take things easy since he had only come out of his illness that day.

"Are you sure that you're feeling better?" she asked as they crossed the bridge into the guild city.

"I'm fine, I promise," Yuri replied. He was feeling immensely better. "What did I even have?"

Judith caught up with them. "Estelle and I talked about it, and after a little research in the castle library on her part, it was apparently poison. Something called Cerania."

"It's a poison called Cerania. It means 'She who is the determiner of the worthy'. It was created by the Emperor Clayduis the Third over 250 years ago. According to the books in the palace library, it was used to test potential soldiers." Estelle was ever a fount of knowledge.

"Poison? But when could I have been poisoned?"

"I think when you took that hit for Lady Marta," Judith said and then thoughtfully, and with a bit of teasing, added, "Or, rather, the hit that I believe was really meant for Flynn."

"I guess that makes sense," Yuri replied, one hand on his chin.

"But how did they know that Flynn would be at the wedding in the first place?"

Judith shrugged. "That's what I can't figure out. Why would they place an assassin in the wedding party when they had no idea that he would be there? But let's worry about that when we find him. Maybe he has a clue."

They reached Brave Vesperia headquarters in no time at all. Yuri entered, followed by the others to find Karol at the conference table sitting across from Rita, who Yuri was surprised to see, and Repede, who had taken up residence on the couch.

"Yuri!" Karol stood from his seat.

"Hey, boss," Yuri smiled. "How have things been?"

"I'm really glad that you're back!" he said.

"Rita!" Estelle grabbed the brunette girl up out of her seat by her hands, and spun around with her for a moment. "I didn't realize that you'd be here too!"

"E-Estelle! Lemme go!" Rita blushed little and pulled away. "Judith and Raven said that I should come along, but I'm only doing this for research."

This seemed like it was going to be a happy reunion for the whole group. It was a pity that Yuri was going to have to cut things short. "I hate to break this up, guys, but we have something important to take care of before we can have a party."

"Yeah, Raven mentioned those rumors about Flynn," Karol said.

"Do we even have any clues about what's going on?" Rita's tone was as harsh as ever.

"It looks like whoever is after Flynn, and whoever murdered Magistrate Idaizeus, might be taking up residence at the Manor of the Wicked," Judith explained. "At least that's what we can tell from the information from around the palace."

"The plan is to go to the Manor of the Wicked by foot, and hope that we're there before Flynn," Yuri said.

"If we catch the people who really did this it'll clear your good name, Yuri!" Karol cheered.

He smirked at that. He didn't have a good name, but there was no point telling Karol that. Everyone in the party knew of Yuri's reputation that often preceded him, good or bad.

"After we get there, what's the plan?" Estelle asked.

Yuri had been too busy reading Flynn's love letters to even think about that. His face grew warm thinking about the embarrassing contents of those correspondences.

"We'll play it by ear when we get there," Judith to the rescue. "We'll probably stake out for a little bit, and then take a chance to take them by surprise. After all, we don't even really know who the people after Flynn are."

"How are we supposed to fight against an enemy if we don't even know who they are or what they're doing?" Rita asked.

"Reliable sources tell me that the Knights suspect that it could be the remnants of Alexei's followers," Raven said stroking his stubbly chin.

"Reliable? I don't really recall any of your sources being reliable!" she spat back.

"Oh, I assure you that this source is incredibly reliable."

Yuri knew that Raven had contacts all over the world, some of them more helpful than others. He also knew that the likelihood of Alexei still having followers a year after his death was pretty high. After his death, it probably would have been hard for those who believed in him to just let go and move on. Flynn would be an obvious target for them.

"It's probably safe to assume that Raven's right. Alexei could easily still have people who believed in his twisted views, and Flynn would be their first target. That doesn't really explain Idaizeus, but since he was on the Council, there could be a number of reasons for his death," Yuri explained.

"That makes sense," Judith added.

"But either way, we need to try and get there before Flynn," the swordsman said.

"Are you worried that he might get hurt?" Estelle asked.

Yuri smirked. "Flynn's tough. A few assassins wouldn't be enough to take him out. I just want to take care of the problem before him and rub it in his face." He also had a hard left hook waiting for him, but he didn't tell Estelle that.

"Either way, it'll be dark soon," Raven said. "Best time to get in there without being spotted."

"Alright, Brave Vesperia! Let's go!" Karol added enthusiastically.

Under the cover of darkness, they left Dahngrest for the Manor of the Wicked to the west.


	11. Chapter 11 - Strike

Author's notes: I don't even remember what my life was like before Tales of Vesperia and before I wrote this. I'm not sure I even had one.

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 11 - Strike

The forest was very still, and within the building, he could see people milling about. He was unsure what they were doing, but it didn't look good. There was a large group of cloaked people gathered in a parlor, presumably talking to each other. After a moment, one by one they disappeared until no one was left.

"Can you tell what's going on in there, Sir?" Sodia asked quietly from his side, crouched low in the bushes like he was.

"It appears as though they've retreated down to a lower level," he whispered. "Signal Captain LeBlanc that we'll be moving in in two minutes."

"Yes, Sir," she saluted and crept quietly away. She would head down the slope of the hill through the trees to where their troops waited in silence for the order to attack.

He continued to watch. He had counted two heavily armed guards at the door and three patrolling the upper floor of the interior. The plan was for a small contingency to secure the main floor and the upstairs. The rest of the troops would follow him to the lower levels of the house, where it appeared the main of the force was within the building. Once they had secured the building, they would take those they captured to Zaphias for questioning regarding the details on the attack on Lady Marta, and for the murder of Magistrate Idaizeus. He had to wonder why those he suspected of being Alexei's minions would strike two rather unlikely targets, but he didn't have time to explore that chain of thought. A minute had passed, and he was preparing for the assault.

Sodia returned to her place right beside him. "The Captain and his men are ready."

He took a deep breath, his hand on his sword.

* * *

Yuri looked down at Judith from his perch in a tree. She signaled with her hands the number guarding the door, and he signaled back that he could see three upstairs. Estelle, Rita, and Karol were crouched down beside Judith, and Raven and Repede had gone around to scout out the back of the house.

After a moment of waiting, he saw the signal from Raven and Repede, the shining of a knife blade twice from in the trees. Two enemies in the front, three in the upstairs hall, and two around back. He signaled once more to Judith, who made a circle with her thumb and forefinger as a sign back. The main floor of the house was empty, Yuri having watched the people who had been there take a passage in the floor down to a lower level that he had not previously seen. He had to wonder what they were hiding down there.

He took a deep breath, his hand on his sword.

* * *

Flynn rushed forward first, taking point, Sodia only steps behind him. He went straight for the first guard, who fumbled with his sword in surprise as Flynn rapidly approached. The guard managed to draw just in time to block the attack, but Flynn bore down on him in the parry. The guard was forced to take to one knee as Flynn pressed harder. The blades of their swords nearly made sparks as the edges ground together. The guard fought to push back and shifted his foot underneath of himself so that if Flynn even gave him the slightest of slack, he could push out of the parry and leave the Commandant open to attack.

"Sir! Behind you!" He heard Sodia shout.

The other guard tried to rush him from behind, and Sodia was still too far away to do anything to back him up. If he let up, he would be trapped between two guards alone, waiting for back up. He moved the angle of his sword just slightly, being careful not to let up on the pressure he was applying. He slid his shield around his back just a bit in order to give him some coverage. He was at a disadvantage here.

His precautions were too late. The other guard was already on him, sword raised high to strike him from above.

He prepared for the impact of a sword, but it never came.

"Jeez, Flynn," a sarcastic voice said from behind him. "Struggling against just two of them?" The other guard fell, hitting the ground hard, and behind him was Yuri, sword in hand, smirking.

The first guard took his chance to push Flynn out of the parry, and the Commandant let him. As soon as he was out, his shield was in front of him in a flash, crouched slightly, his sword positioned low. When the guard came back in for a strike at him, he raised the sword.

The guard stopped abruptly, and then pulled back. His sword drooped from his hand, and he clutched the wound in his belly. He staggered back, and Flynn took his chance to make a finishing strike across his chest.

Flynn scanned the area for more. Those inside the manor had not heard the commotion it seemed, but he could see Judith, Karol and Repede fighting another two that must have been stationed in the back, and Estelle and Rita were providing support in the form of spells and distance attacks. He turned to the dark haired swordsman. "Yuri, what are you-"

Yuri's left fist found its mark in Flynn's cheek before he could finish the question. It was almost enough to ground him, but he caught himself after a momentary stagger.

Sodia was on Yuri in an instant, sword drawn again him. "How dare you?!"

"Sodia, stand down. Stop the troops," Flynn said, gathering himself, rubbing his cheek.

She reluctantly pulled back, still glaring at Yuri as she headed back down the slope.

"I suppose I deserve that," he said.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you're a prick," Yuri smirked. He must have been back to full strength already.

"Yuri..."

"You told me once that together we were unbeatable. Did you forget that?" If he was trying to guilt trip him, it was working.

Flynn shook that off. He wasn't supposed to be here. This wasn't part of the plan. "What are you doing here?"

"Same thing you are. Here to kick ass and take names."

He tried to find a reason to complain at him, even if he was grateful that Yuri had come to his rescue. Yuri spoke up before he could think of anything to say.

"You can yell at me all you want later. Right now we have something to take care of."

"Agreed." Flynn did indeed plan to take Yuri up on that offer later. He signaled to Sodia, who in turn signaled the Knights at the bottom of the hill. "What's your plan?"

"Already told you," Yuri smirked again. That seemed to be a trait of his that never stopped, much like his stubbornness.

Kick ass and take names.

Flynn swept his hand down his face in exasperation. It was just like Yuri to not have a complete plan of attack and just wing it. "Here's the plan then. Your party, myself, and a contingency of knights will head to the basement where we believe most of the force is located. Sodia will lead the charge to secure the main and upper floors."

"Got it," he looked to Judith and the others, who nodded in agreement. He took a step back from the door. "Everybody ready?"

A collective nod followed.

In standard Yuri fashion, the swordsman leaned back slightly, steadying himself with his arms, and his boot hit the door hard enough to knock it off its hinges.

If the commotion outside hadn't alerted their enemy, that certainly did.

Flynn could feel his eye twitch. "You could have just tried opening it..."

Yuri shrugged.

With that signal, Knights rushed the building, led by the cat-eyed Sodia, and secured the main floor of the building in only moments. They captured the guards upstairs, shackling them quickly, and pulling them downstairs.

Flynn, Yuri and the rest of the party followed once the building was secured and immediately made their way to the passage door in the floor in the main parlor. The wooden trap door in the floor opened to a series of stairs in the darkness. Yuri, as ever, was the first down them, Flynn and the others following close behind with a lantern from Karol's bag to light the way.

"Keep your guard up, everyone," Yuri whispered, taking the steps quickly and confidently even though he could barely see them.

Flynn was only inches from him. He could feel his warmth from this distance. This was really no time for him to be getting distracted.

Yuri stopped suddenly, reaching back and planting a hand firmly on Flynn's chest. It stopped him cold, and the others behind him as well.

"Pass me the lantern." Yuri pulled his hand back.

Karol passed the lantern forward, and Yuri shone the light around the basement. He took a step forward, and there was a small splash that followed. Flynn saw him glance down, and he looked too. It was blood.

"Shit..." Yuri cursed, and stepped back.

The lantern revealed a bloodbath.

Bodies littered the floor, blood pooling all around them. They numbered at least a dozen, their faces hidden by cloaks. It was a sickening sight. He could not tell from this distance what exactly had happened to them, but it had not been pretty. The scent of blood and death hung heavy in the air, making the room near suffocating.

Yuri moved forward, unafraid, undeterred by the gruesome scene. He knelt and touched the wrist of the body closest to him. "Looks like someone beat us to it." He pulled back up, and looked up to them. "I guess we should search for clues."

Rita, who was shielding Estelle's eyes from the horrifying sight at the time, spoke. "I'm going to take Estelle back upstairs."

Yuri only nodded, and watched briefly as the two girls returned upstairs.

Flynn didn't blame them for feeling squeamish. He'd rather he hadn't seen this either. Yuri, on the other hand, still seemed unaffected by it. Karol and Judith seemed to be coping, Karol with a hand over his mouth and nose, probably to keep himself from throwing up, and Judith bore a look of disgust, but seemed to be in control as always.

Flynn took the last couple of steps down and was able to get a better look at the small basement. Along the furthest wall was a large painting of the late Commandant Alexei, looking regal and charismatic, with a long row of candles underneath giving the painting an eerie glow. The room was mostly barren otherwise, with the exception of a few stacks of books here and there.

"So I guess the rumors were true," Yuri motioned with his thumb over his shoulder at the painting. "I don't see any other exits."

Flynn knelt and examined a few of the bodies. Judith poked at a few of them with her spear, moving their cloaks aside. Each of the cloaked figures had their throats cut from ear to ear, their still open eyes fixated on the painting. A shiver ran up his spine.

"A mass suicide?" the dark haired man asked.

"I don't think so," Judith said. "I don't see any weapons on them."

"A slaughter, then," Flynn said quietly. Of all the things that he had been prepared for here, this was not one of them.

"At least you still have the few upstairs that you can question," Yuri said, picking up one of the books near the painting. He flipped through a few pages, skimming, and then picked up another. "I'm not sure, but this looks like it could be blastia research. We might want to have Rita take a look at this."

"I'll have these taken into custody, then," Flynn replied.

"What are we gonna do about them?" Yuri motioned with his head to the bodies.

"Gathered up and buried, I suppose," the blond said. They may have been Alexei's followers, but they were still human and still deserved a proper burial.

They did another careful inspection of the bodies before gathering up the stacks of books and papers laying around, and walking back upstairs. They cleared the building after only a few moments, leaving several of the knights behind for clean up duty.

* * *

The interrogation lasted for hours. Flynn was not going to give up.

"Who are you working for?" he asked again. He wasn't sure how many times he had asked before. He couldn't help but think of what Yuri said to him on the walk back toward Dahngrest. His friend pulled him off to the side away from the others.

"What's wrong, Yuri?"

He seemed unusually cautious. "Rumor has it you've got a price on your head. I doubt the few that we encountered there were all of Alexei's followers. There have to be more. Keep an eye out."

He pulled himself out of his thoughts and back to the present. He was still waiting for an answer.

"We are his chosen people," the guard's eyes were the same as the crazed bridesmaid from Dahngrest. Other than this, he was unassuming, the kind of person that Flynn, or anyone else, might pass on the street without a second thought. "We are his chosen people... but we weren't good enough."

"What do you mean?" Flynn asked. This one seemed to be more amenable to talking than the others he had spoken to.

"We weren't good enough," the guard replied, rocking slightly. "We couldn't be perfect. We weren't strong enough. We couldn't pass the test in order to make us perfect."

"What test?"

"The test to receive a perfect heart. Lord Alexei promised us perfect, unbreakable hearts and bodies that would withstand the test of time..." his wild eyes narrowed. "We failed him. We all failed him. That's why we had to die. None of us could pass the test."

This really didn't answer any of Flynn's questions, but he listened as the man continued rambling. The tiniest bit of information could prove useful.

"We couldn't kill you," the guard said, pulling back away from Flynn. This conversation was quickly descending into this cultist's madness. "The dagger missed its mark. But there are others. And others will succeed where I have failed. His people shall reign supreme!" The man leaned backward, but Flynn had seen this before.

He jammed his gauntlet into the man's mouth before he could bite off his own tongue as the bridesmaid in Dahngrest had done. He held the guard's jaw firmly in his hand. He needed a witness that would talk, even if it was the ramblings of a madman. Something was better than nothing.


	12. Chapter 12 - Bare

Author's Notes: Oh god, this chapter.

* * *

Chapter 12 - Bare

"Any luck, Rita?" Estelle asked, looking over the mage's shoulder at the book.

"This handwriting is atrocious!" Rita spat, moving quickly through several pages. "It's almost indecipherable!" She closed that book and grabbed another from that stack. She flipped it open, annoyed.

"Here. I brought you some tea," Estelle smiled, and sat down next to her, putting a plain teacup within her reach.

Rita's face flushed slightly, "T-thanks." She took a sip and tried to concentrate on the book and not on Estelle, who had picked up the book that she had discarded.

"How are things going?" Yuri asked, entering the tent.

"Whoever wrote these is clearly a madman! None of these formulas or processes make any sense!" Rita replied.

"Formulas? So it's blastia research then?" He pulled up a chair to the makeshift table and sat down in it backwards.

"I guess you could say that. But like I said," she paused to take another sip of the tea at Estelle's urging that it would get cold, "I've researched blastia all my life and these formulas don't make any sense. You just couldn't use things like this."

He nodded a little bit, but she knew that his understanding of blastia was limited to different blastia did different things because of reasons. He knew that blastia was once important to everyday life, but people were learning to live without it, even if reluctantly. He didn't know blastia like she did. Blastia had been a tool for him. For her, blastia had once been everything.

She threw that book aside in frustration.

Flynn walked in just as she picked up another.

"Do you have any leads?"

"No!" she shouted.

He was visibly taken aback.

"How'd the interrogation go?" Yuri asked, changing the subject before Rita started throwing books at them. This was a wise decision.

"Well, they are definitely followers of Alexei. Their cult-like obsession with him is very deeply rooted." Flynn placed a hand on his chin. "One of the guards mentioned something about not being good enough for 'his heart'. Other than that, it was quite a lot of nonsense."

Yuri pondered in silence for a moment, drumming his fingers on the table.

"Any luck?" Raven asked, entering the tent just as Yuri and Flynn before him had.

That was it. She lost it. She snapped her book shut, and flung it at Raven, just barely missing his head. "Get out! All three of you get out!" She picked up another, aiming at Yuri.

* * *

Before she could strike, he hightailed it out of there, followed quickly by Raven and Flynn.

"She's a bit hot headed," Flynn said. He didn't travel with her, so it must have been a little less obvious.

"Well, Rita's Rita." Yuri shrugged. "So what's the plan after this?"

"We'll be taking the prisoners back to the capital for further interrogation," the blond explained. "What about you?"

"Judy and I were talking about taking everyone to Yumanju to get some rest." A soak in the hot springs sounded really good right about now, and Judith had agreed. He had been told that a town had sprung up around the spa recently, so they could make their visit worth more than an expensive bath.

"Dear Judith always knows how to make this ol' man feel better," Raven said, wringing his hands. "I'm gonna let Karol know. He'll be excited too."

"Hey, you've really got to stop using the kid to pick up ladies," Yuri said, but by the time he finished, the scruffy man had run off. He shook his head, and turned back to Flynn.

"We still need to have a talk about..."

"I know, I know. My jailbreak," Yuri said.

Flynn sighed. It did not appear to be a discussion that he was ready for, which was unusual for Flynn. He always seemed to be ready to chastise Yuri for any little misdeed. "It'll have to wait. I have business I have to attend to. As of right now, you are free to go."

Yuri cocked an eyebrow at him. He wanted to question him, but then he remembered the letters that he read, and decided not to. "Alright."

"Goodbye, Yuri." He turned and walked away.

* * *

Flynn headed back to his tent in the camp that they made once more outside of Dahngrest. He wanted to yell at Yuri but at this point, he was just glad that he was all right. He hated himself a little for that. His feelings were getting in the way of his duty once more, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, he was sure that they would again.

His tent was a welcome bit of sanctuary, quiet and void of others. He pulled his armor off. He was tense. Maybe it was the events that had just transpired, maybe it was just being near Yuri, and maybe it was a mix. His muscles grew warm with frustration around his friend, and tense with longing. The things he wanted to do, and the words he wanted to say all burned in the back of his brain, but he never found the right moment to do or say those things.

He sat down on his cot, glad to just get off his feet for a few moments. He was achingly tired. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he slept. It could have been the night before, it could have been the night before that.

The development with these followers of Alexei was probably as frustrating as being around Yuri.

A knock came at the entrance to his tent. The shadow that he could see through the flap was tall and feminine, with two long protrusions from the head.

"Come in," he said. He wasn't really prepared for guests, but he'd rather get it over with.

Judith moved aside the flap and entered. "Sorry to bother you, Commandant."

"It's no bother. What can I do for you?" He stood. Even though his legs ached, it was polite.

"I came to ask what you intend to do after this," she said.

"I plan to take the prisoners to Zaphias for further questioning. Then I must return to Vonael on business," he explained. He didn't question why she wanted to know. It wasn't really important.

"I see. We're planning on heading to Yumanju for a bit of rest and relaxation. You should come too," Judith said with a smile. She seemed to be constantly smiling, that same long, calm, sly smile. "I'm sure that you could use a break from you duties."

"I really mustn't," Flynn said.

"But you said yourself that you have business in Vonael. It's less than half a day's march between it and Yumanju. And don't you still owe Yuri a yelling at?"

Flynn supposed that he could manage a slight break. He could send LeBlanc to Zaphias with their prisoners, and he could go straight back to Vonael to handle what he needed to. Then off to Yumanju, and back before he was missed. It was sad that while the hot spring sounded relaxing, he was more interested in going to yell at Yuri. "All right. I'll try to stop there after my business in Vonael."

She smiled in a sort of knowing way, "We would love to have you there, even if just for a little while. If you'll excuse me." And as quickly as that, she left.

* * *

The flight to Yumanju from Dahngrest was only a few hours, and before they knew it, they touched down just outside of the village that had sprung up around the hot spring within the past year. Raven got them a couple of rooms at a cozy little inn across town from the hot spring. It was colder here than in Dahngrest, almost wintry in feel.

Yuri didn't mind. It would only make the hot bath that much more refreshing. He stepped out into the open-air bath. The sun was setting, and the air was crisp. Karol and Raven had been in for a while.

"Took ya long enough," Raven said, leaning up against one of the rocky slabs that surrounded the bath.

Yuri shrugged. He had taken his time changing into the robe provided by the inn and walking across town. With the wintry weather, the local trees were now leafless and the woods surrounding the village were quiet and calm and grey. Something about the world in the winter was refreshing for him. "Just taking in a little scenery on the way here."

"Raven and I were just about to leave. I hope you don't mind, Yuri," Karol said, moving to climb out of the water.

"Nah, it's fine," he smirked. He'd rather have the bath to himself anyway. He didn't mind being around Raven and Karol, but he also enjoyed his alone time. He disrobed and sat down with just his towel on the bench just inside the porch. "Where are you two headed?"

"We're heading to the local tavern for some grub," Raven said, pulling his towel back on. "The girls were headed there too. You should join us when you're done."

"I'll be there," he stretched and readied himself for the bath. After a moment, just as they were leaving, he slid into the hot spring. The hot water was relaxing. He leaned back and closed his eyes.

After only a few moments, the rice paper door slid open, and then closed again. He didn't bother to look. He heard a pair of feet pad off of the porch and stop.

"They told me that I'd find you here."

Yuri opened his eyes, a little blearily. It was Flynn. "What are you doing here? I thought you were headed back to Zaphias." He wanted to be surprised, but he really wasn't.

"I had some business in Vonael. I thought I'd stop by briefly." Flynn rinsed himself off.

"Ah," was all Yuri could think to reply. There went his little bit of solitude. He stretched once more.

Flynn slid into the bath and there was a long moment of silence between them.

"It must be nice to get away from being Commandant for a little bit," Yuri said, trying to make conversation. Normally, he would have been fine with the silence, but silence between the two of them was a little unnerving. It didn't feel normal if Flynn wasn't complaining at him about one thing or another.

"I'm in the position I am because of you." Flynn's tone was not accusatory. In fact, it sounded grateful. It was true though. Flynn had worked for his position, but it was Yuri's deeds that actually got him there. Neither of them would admit it to anyone else though.

"No. You have the confidence of both Estelle and Ioder, and I'm sure even the Council is falling for you," he replied. The last little bit of what he said reminded him of those letters that seemed so far away only a moment ago. They were still embarrassing and made him feel uncomfortable. He had tried to read a few more, but didn't get very far. He didn't want to think about those letters.

"Yuri, please at least take a little credit for what you've done."

The dark haired man shrugged. He didn't want the credit. It would only make people rely on him more, and in the end, he would only disappoint them. Flynn was someone that people could rely on. He changed the subject. "So what kind of business did you have in Vonael?"

"Some workers located Magistrate Loandr," Flynn said, looking up at the overcast sky.

"Oh really? Where?"

"He was boxed up inside the corner stone of Idaizeus's manor. It appears as though he'd been dead for a while now," the blond explained grimly. "A month at least."

"That's strange. The villagers never mentioned that he'd been missing that long. And Idaizeus said that he'd returned to Zaphias for charges of treason," Yuri pondered. Any way he thought about it, it sounded very fishy. "Guess that guy must have been involved in some pretty shady business to stuff a guy in a corner stone."

"We are still investigating all that," Flynn said. He seemed to be avoiding a lot of details of the case. Yuri wasn't really involved in this particular incident anymore. "Yuri, about your jail break..."

Any feeling of relaxation drained quickly from his body. "If you're going to start on that, let's at least get back to the inn where we can do it in private," Yuri replied and motioned to a couple of older men who where entering the bath from the waiting room.

"Agreed," Flynn said, grabbing his towel, and exiting the hot water. Yuri followed.

* * *

They took a moment to dry off before putting their robes back on. He tried not to look at the dark haired man, whose pale skin glistened with water and had reddened slightly from the heat, making him look a little flushed. He felt like holding these things inside was driving him insane. He wanted to tell Yuri. He knew that by now, with as long as he had been feeling this way, he should have. Maybe he was right. Maybe he should just confess and get it over with. How badly could he possibly react? Maybe he already knew.

They left the spring and walked to the inn where the party was staying. Yuri led the way through the common room into his bedroom.

"Here," Yuri smirked, shutting the door behind them. "Now you can start complaining."

Right on cue.

"Yuri, you broke the law again," Flynn stated.

He just nodded like he was going to go along with it like it was nothing.

"You where there for a purpose."

"So you could protect me?" Yuri sounded a little angry. "Sorry, Flynn, but I don't need your protection. Maybe you haven't noticed, but I can take care of myself."

"Oh yes, obviously you can with the state that I found you in when I arrived in Vonael. You were the picture of health," the Commandant replied sarcastically. Sometimes this tone was the only way to talk to Yuri, and Yuri was the only person he ever took this tone with.

"Not my fault. That would be the poison." He instantly looked as though he wished he hadn't said that.

"Poison?" Flynn asked.

Yuri looked as though he didn't want to reply.

"What are you talking about?" he asked again.

"That hit I took back in Dahngrest," he started. It had been the hit meant for Flynn, and he knew this after his interrogation with the guards from the Manor of the Wicked. "I guess it was poisoned, and it took a while to kick in." He waved it off.

How did he tell his friend everything he felt? How did he tell him how much he worried for him? How much he loved him? His mouth felt hot and sticky, and the words tasted bitter as he spoke. "I really do care, Yuri."

The dark haired man looked at him, brow furrowed in concern.

"I..." Flynn bit his lip. How could he hesitate now? They were alone. No one else could hear his confession. "I know that maybe what I did wasn't right, but I did it because... well..." He lost the words, lost the courage to continue. He had gone over this scenario in his mind dozens of times. Every time it ended with him biting his tongue and stopping. He didn't want to stop this time. He wanted to finish what he had to say. He wanted to get this out. He needed to get this out. The silence was infuriating.

"I've been meaning to return these to you." Yuri voice was cool and calm, as if he knew what Flynn was trying to say and stopped him before he could hear anything more. He pulled something out of his bag and set it down on the bed. It was a stack of letters.

Flynn recognized them immediately. He was at a loss for words. He stumbled over a million thoughts. Where had he gotten those? How many of them had he read? How had he reacted to the contents? Did he possibly reciprocate what was written there?

"Those weren't for you," Flynn said. It was the only thing he could manage.

"Funny. They were addressed to me." The dark haired man wasn't looking at him. "I found them in your room while looking for clues about where you went." That answered one of his questions.

There was a long and awkward silence between them. He tried to take his eyes off those letters. He wanted to ask what Yuri thought of them, but wasn't sure that he wanted to hear the answer.

"Yuri..." Flynn broke the silence. There was no turning back now. "All those things I wrote... they were true. Every one of them." Before Yuri could reply, Flynn had him up against the wall, his mouth pressed against the dark haired man's.

Yuri's hands grabbed the blond's shoulders, intending to push him away, but he could not. After a few seconds, he opened his mouth a little, invitingly. His hands moved over Flynn's shoulders and one down his back, the other up to run his fingers through the short blond hair. Flynn's hands moved into his robe and traced his pale sides with gentle caresses. He pulled away briefly for a breath, panting hard.

* * *

He couldn't help looking into those beautiful, clear blue eyes. He wanted momentarily to fight back, to push the blond away. He knew that this was wrong. This wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want to stop.

Flynn planted hot kisses down his neck and collarbone, hands moving to pull the collar of the robe down off his shoulders. He held back a moan only barely as the blond kissed him just underneath his jaw, wrapping his lips around Yuri's Adam's apple. He must have felt how his pulse had quickened, and how air was being pumped hurriedly from his lungs. He felt Flynn's knee slide in between his legs, brushing against him just barely.

He moaned softly, staring at the ceiling. His heart was pounding. His body ached for this. He had to stop now, before things got out of hand. He had to stop now, or he would never be able to.

"Flynn." He was able to finally push away. "I can't do this."

The blond looked at him in saddened surprise. "Yuri..."

He pulled away and pulled his robe back up over his shoulders. This was the path he'd chosen.

"Do my feelings disgust you?" Flynn asked, dejectedly.

"This won't work, Flynn." He turned away.

"Why?" was all he could ask.

Yuri sighed. He never wanted to explain this. He never thought he'd have to explain this. "We've chosen different paths in life. Our paths have separated us before and they'll separate us again." It was a cop-out answer and he knew it.

"If our paths keep separating us, that means they'll keep bringing us back together again." His warm fingers touched Yuri's hand. He was leaning close to him. Yuri could feel the warmth of Flynn's body nearly pressing on him.

It sounded poetic and romantic the way Flynn said it, and Yuri knew that it was true. But the truth was _not_ poetic or romantic. The truth was harsh, and it told him that the paths they'd chosen might one day put them on opposite ends of the battlefield, no longer fighting as friends, but as sworn enemies. He didn't want that.

"Remember... together we're unbeatable," Flynn said, as if trying to coax something out of him.

Yuri pulled his hand away and took a few steps toward the door. He stared at the floor. This hurt so much. "Together we might be unbeatable... but I can guarantee you that you're better off without me." He didn't look back. He didn't wait for a reply. He left as quickly as he could.


	13. Chapter 13 - Blessing

Author's Notes: This chapter has been lovingly subtitled "Guess whose head is alive in a jar?" Surprise!

I'm so sorry.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 13 - Blessing

He changed quickly in the empty common room and went to the bar. It seemed like the most sensible place to be at the moment. The others were there, and while he wanted to be alone, at least Flynn wouldn't bother to come after him there. This wasn't something Yuri wanted to ever have to do, but it was the path that he had chosen. He assured himself of this.

He joined the others at their table, sitting next to Judith in the corner. They were all laughing and having fun. He ordered an ale, even as Judith eyed him over her own.

"How did your argument go?" She smiled.

Yuri shrugged, "As can be expected with Flynn." He tried not to think about the traces of heat the blond left on his neck and chest.

"Not intending on ending this one like the last I hope," she said as his drink hit the table.

He shrugged again, and took a sip. He didn't intend on getting drunk. Just one would help wash away the sweet taste in his mouth that made him hurt so.

"How was your bath, Yuri?" Estelle asked, sipping on a glass of juice.

"It was great." The bath itself had been relaxing, but the aftermath had been less so. He didn't want to think about it.

He had been there less than a quarter of an hour, just finishing off his drink when Flynn walked in, already in uniform, and came straight up to their table. Yuri couldn't look him in the eye. He stared down.

"I'm sorry to intrude," he said, standing behind Estelle and Karol on the opposite side of the table. Yuri couldn't see if he was looking at him, but he could feel the blond glance over him once or twice. He didn't look at him. He looked away into the corner, feigning disinterest.

"Come to join us for a drink?" Raven asked.

"I'm afraid not. I have to be returning to Zaphias immediately," Flynn said.

"That's a pity," Judith said softly. "I'm sure that it would have been nice for you to rest for once."

"Regrettable, but I have a job to do." His voice was calm as always. "I just came to wish you all farewell. Please take care of yourselves."

"You too, Flynn," Estelle said worriedly. Many of Alexei's minions were dead, but there could easily be others who wanted Flynn dead too.

He bowed. "Thank you, Lady Estellise. Thank you everyone for your assistance."

Yuri nodded, and waved a hand. His mouth felt glued shut.

He walked off, stiff and soldierly, and left the bar. Yuri felt an almost instant relief. He listened for a while as the others chattered, but he wasn't really up for talking. After about a half an hour, he stood up.

"Yuri?" Estelle asked.

"Sorry, guys. I'm going to head back to the inn. I'm really tired," he explained. It wasn't really the truth, but it seemed to be enough to satisfy them.

"I'll go with you," Judith said, standing beside him. She looked at him with her constant calm smile. He didn't question it.

They trudged along together through the streets. It was very cold outside. Heavy, flat grey clouds blanketed the sky, foretelling of snow before the night was out.

"I don't understand what you're so worried about," Judith said out of nowhere.

"What are you talking about?" He feigned ignorance. Was he that much of an open book to her?

"About Flynn and your relationship with him."

"We're just old friends." Yuri looked down as he plodded along. "We don't even have much in common. All we do is argue all the time."

"You argue like a married couple," she smiled. "You may just be old friends, but I can see that both of you want something more. I'm not blind."

He was silent.

"You're both so stubborn."

"It's better this way." He never wanted to talk about these feelings with anyone, much less Flynn, and now he was talking to Judith. He couldn't deny that she knew something.

"What makes you say so?" she asked.

If only he knew all the words to explain.

"What are you so worried about?" Her gentle, strong hand touched his upper arm.

"Tarnishing the Empire's golden boy," he said to himself more than her. This was the first time that he had ever admitted that aloud, to himself or anyone else. But it was the truth. It was a painful truth that left a bitter taste in his mouth, and a cold sting in his chest.

"Why can't you just be with him if you love him?" Her questions seemed never ending.

He didn't want to open up. He had kept all of this locked up so tightly inside for such a long time that the idea of opening those rusted locks and pulling away those chains was painful.

She waited patiently, still touching him.

"The path I've chosen keeps us apart. I'll do the dirty work and Flynn will continue to be the Empire's perfect figurehead. I've already dirtied my hands. I won't dirty his, too," Yuri said bluntly. When he looked back up, he realized that they were already back at the inn.

"Let's get inside before it snows." She moved to open the door.

He was still hesitant to return. He wanted more time to clear his head. He wanted more time to convince himself that this was the right thing to do. "Go on ahead. I'm gonna go for a walk. I'll be back later."

Judith eyed him for a moment. "All right. Don't be out too long."

He waved over his shoulder as he headed toward the edge of town that bordered the forest. It was refreshingly cold and quiet. Fluffy bits of snow started to fall from the dark, overcast sky, sticking to the ground. It was quickly piling up as he walked, but he didn't mind. It wasn't like he hadn't had to trudge through the snow before, and under much more dire circumstances.

He could remember himself and Flynn sharing their only blanket, cuddled close together in their tiny bed in order to share the little bit of warmth that they had. The winters could be harsh in Zaphias, and even harsher for those living in the Lower Quarter, where food could easily become scarce, where if you were lucky, you had a blastia to heat your home, where everyone suffered their way through the winter. He and Flynn didn't have a blastia to heat the tiny room that they shared. It was just the two of them and the clothes on their backs. It was rough.

He pushed back those thoughts. Flynn was the last person that he wanted to think about. He didn't want to think about the warmth still on his body in spite of the cold. He didn't want to think about the sweet taste in his mouth that he had tried, and failed, to wash away with ale. He didn't want to think about those pure blue eyes. He didn't want to think about the feelings that were tearing apart his insides. He didn't want to think anymore.

Yuri took a deep breath and stopped just a few feet from the exit of town. He just stood there and watched the snow fall, and watched his breath float out into the air as a puff of steam. The cool air stung his lungs. He coughed slightly, and then a little harder.

Something hot and sharp surged inside of him, like a shock wave. It knocked the breath from his lungs, and stopped his heart cold. He stumbled, clutching his chest. He struggled to breathe, struggled to move, darkness creeping into his vision. He fought against whatever it was trying to consume him. This was a fight that he did not win.

* * *

"This one's a particularly strong specimen," a voice in the darkness said, with the barest hints of a gleeful giggle.

Yuri opened his eyes slowly. The bright light above him blinded him momentarily. He tried to look around and tried to get up. His body wouldn't move. He chest burned as if on fire.

"Operation's not even finished and he's awake," the voice was different than the first, a little surly and more serious.

Three shadows leaned toward him and blocked out that harsh light, but he couldn't make out the faces of these people.

He struggled again, willing his body as hard as he could to move, but it was to no avail.

"Thinks he can struggle against this, does he?" a third voice said, sharp and nasally. A hand came down and pressed his head to one side of the slab he found himself lying on.

"Don't worry, boy," a fourth voice said, and out of the corner of his vision, another shadow penetrated the light. "You'll be perfect soon. This is Lord Alexei's blessing."

His eyes darted around the room, trying to take in the scene quickly and process the information. There was clutter everywhere in the form of books, jars filled with strange liquids, and bloodied medical tools.

"Struggling only makes it worse, Yuri Lowell." This was a voice he recognized. Less than a foot from his face was a long, cylindrical jar filled with bubbling green water. There was a face he recognized there too.

Spiked blond and magenta hair pushed back with a hair band, wild red eyes, a crazed, toothy grin. It was Zagi, or at least what was left of him. All the remained of the assassin was his head, neck and long series of bones that made up his spinal column, floating in that jar. Embedded in the spine was something red and round, shining like a terrible beacon of blood.

"You're going to get Alexei's blessing just like I did," the disembodied head smiled, eyes narrowing.

Before he could try to reply, an ice-cold hand pulled his sight back up, to the blinding bright light, and then moved down his neck and across his bare chest.

Yuri felt his body finally react, arching against that hand, trying to rebel, and his heavy legs managed to move. A clinking of chains made him realize that he was being restrained.

"Hold him down," the fourth voice spoke again. "It seems the poison didn't completely incapacitate him."

He tried to lash out wildly, as sluggish as his body was to move, as a dark face came down next to his and whispered in his ear. "Don't worry. It only hurts at first." That cold hand touched his chest again, digging its fingers into the skin over his heart.

He screamed, but it sounded strange and beastly like it wasn't his own voice. In his ears, beyond his own howling, he could hear Zagi taunting him.

"Now we'll be the same! We'll be bound together forever this way, Yuri Lowell!" the maniacal laughter filled his ears and drowned out all else.


	14. Chapter 14 - Curse

Author's Notes: Yeah. I don't really have an excuse for the horror I'm putting Yuri through. I hurt him because I love him and I know he can handle it.

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 14 - Curse

Snow fell in softly swirling flurries, tangling flakes into his long silver hair and smattering across his skin. He didn't dislike the chill weather. It kept his mind from wandering too far in dangerous directions as he walked along through the forest. When the world was cold, he couldn't think about the heat of the desert bearing down on him, the sounds of battle raging all around him, people dying at this feet and by his hand. He couldn't think of the things that he had done or that he failed to do. He could be blissfully ignorant for just a little while, and that was welcome.

Duke had been a soldier once, mighty and proud, a hero of the Great War. A reluctant hero. That war had changed him, as all wars change people, and took away the things most precious to him.

His year as a hermit, living with nature, had mostly dissolved his anger with humanity. This was also helped in part by the people that helped him see the light. Perhaps humanity was not inherently evil. He had been affected by these people, after all, and not in a bad way. They showed him the truth of his dearest friend's legacy. Elucifer wanted hope for the future of all living things. He had to admit that he admired the will of humans to move forward out of darkness after the events of the past year.

He was thinking too much, and his brain was starting to wander down to those dangerous places.

Duke made his current home in Yurzorea. As he trudged through the snow, he noticed something strange. Spots of red, dotting the pure white snow. The scent of blood was suddenly heavy in his nose. An injured animal perhaps? He looked around, but this place was devoid of animal tracks except those of domesticated horses. It was too close to civilization. There were mostly wheel marks and footprints of humans.

As he continued to look, he saw it, black and bloody in a snow bank to one side of the trail. He knelt in the cold snow. He knew this person.

Long haired and messily clad in black was Yuri Lowell, one of the saviors of Terca Lumireis. He was cold, but Duke could still feel a pulse, however weak, at his neck. His shirt was soaked in blood that had poured from a wound in his chest, where an uneasy, glowing light now was. He was unconscious, and barely clinging to life. He had seen him like this only once before. The first time he had found Yuri Lowell was along the shore of Ilyccia, as he looked out over the sea to the calamity of the skies, the world devourer, the Adephagos. He was washed up on the sandy beach, with a wound his abdomen, fighting his way back to land.

Duke picked him up, his limp body in his arms as if the weight was nothing. He was not obligated to do anything for this man, but at the same time, Yuri had helped to give the whole world, and himself, a second chance at living. And with a wound like his, he was still tenaciously clinging to life.

Perhaps that was what Duke admired about this man. His tenacity, his inability to give up. That was something so familiar, yet so far away. Elucifer, his dearest friend, had once exhibited those traits as well.

It was impossible to take him back to Zaphias in this condition as he once had. Surely, if he was here, his friends must be close by. Perhaps in the town that had sprung up here around the hot spring?

He felt no concern for the man. Either he would live or he would die. This was the way of the world. It was life. He was certain, though, that no matter what, Yuri Lowell would live.

* * *

It was late in the morning when she finally woke. She sat up in her bed and looked around. Her roommates appeared to have already risen. Since they were here to relax, she didn't mind sleeping in a bit. She stretched, and brushed out her long, dark lavender hair before putting it back up in the standard bun that she wore.

Judith took her time getting dressed. She paid careful attention to her appearance. She liked to look her best no matter what the party was doing, be it fighting monsters or getting involved in peace negotiations. She didn't have to work hard at it, if she did say so herself. Men and women alike admired her beauty, and she was fine with that. She appreciated the sideways glances and the whispers.

That being said, while she was proud of her appearance, she was not vain. She was lovely, but there were lovelier. The women of the Kritya were all lovely. She suspected what people found so interesting was their exotic nature. The climate that they usually lived in was temperate, being inside of an Entelexia, so they dressed comfortably, or as others might see it, scantily.

After a little while, she finally left the room and entered the common room that the others were waiting in. Estelle, Rita, and Karol were eating breakfast, Repede was napping on the floor, and Raven was sitting off to one side of the room humming to himself.

Yuri was nowhere to be seen.

"I'm really worried," Estelle said, sitting in one of the hotel's wicker chairs. "Yuri went for a walk last night and he still hasn't come back."

"You don't think he went off on his own again, do you?" Karol asked.

"Nah. We taught him a lesson last time he did that," Rita replied, although she seemed disinterested in this conversation, her nose in a book.

Judith hoped that it was because Yuri and Flynn caught up with each other and, rather than argue, had actually _done_ something about their relationship. She suspected that something had happened at the inn last evening, especially since they had both arrived at the bar, fifteen minutes between the other, and didn't look at each other. She couldn't be sure what had happened, but she was pretty sure that it was not the development that she had been hoping for. It was plain enough to her, why not to both of them? Maybe it was because they were both just so stubborn.

"We should go take a look for him," Estelle said, ever concerned. Yuri was reckless, and they all knew it, but he was also tough.

"Let's go together then," Judith said with a smile. "I'm sure that he's just out getting a little morning practice in."

"That sounds like a great idea!" Karol said, ever enthusiastic. "What about you, Raven?"

"This Ol Man doesn't feel like tromping around in the snow. I'll wait here, thanks. Just in case he shows back up," Raven smiled from the corner.

Judith moved to the door and as soon as she touched the knob, a knock came, two sharp raps against the wood. Rather than open the door to leave, she opened the door to see who was there.

"Pardon me," the deep voiced man said. It was Duke. He was holding something that shocked even her. It was Yuri, unconscious in his arms.

"Yuri!" Karol and Estelle cried in almost unison.

"What happened to him?" Estelle asked, but her question went unanswered.

Duke strode into the room and set the dark haired swordsman down on the common room sofa. He turned to them, his face stony. "Twice now I have brought this boy back from death's door. Take better care of him." He moved to the door.

"Thank you," Judith said. She didn't question him. If he knew anything about Yuri's current state, he wasn't going to say. Maybe the case was that he just happened to be there at the right time.

He said nothing further, and slipped out the door, unnoticed by the others.

"Let's back up and give him some air," Judith said, ever the voice of reason.

Yuri was in rough shape. He was not currently bleeding, but his shirt was soaked in blood. She could see it long before the others noticed, except maybe Raven. The soft, wavering, pulsating light, in his chest.

Estelle used her healing artes, which helped the wound close, but the damage was far worse than that.

"Step back," Judith said, and moved forward. She glanced over to Raven, whose sun weathered face had gone pale. One of his hands grasped the front of his shirt. His pale blue eyes knew that light, and were still haunted by it.

She knelt beside Yuri, and felt for a pulse. It was weak, trembling.

"Judith, what happened to him?" Estelle asked, even though she knew that Judith didn't have the real answers.

She pulled open his dark, blood soaked shirt just slightly. A piece of dark metal traced a twisted, clockwise spiral into his skin, its arms spread out across his pale chest. At the center of this, a dark red Hermes blastia was embedded. Much like Raven's own, this blastia was now Yuri's heart. It glowed with an uneasy light that flickered like a candle flame. His body was having trouble adjusting to this replacement. Sadness washed over her like waves on a beach, wearing away at her. She would maintain her composure. If not her, then who?

Upon seeing the blastia heart, Estelle gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth, and her green eyes welling with tears. She took a step forward, obviously intent on trying to help, but Rita held her back. There was nothing more that she would be able to do. Karol was finding this hard to handle as well. He was biting his lip so hard that he was almost bleeding, his fist clenched tight. The thirteen year old had no idea how to react to this situation. Tears felt natural, but he seemed determined to remain strong. What good would crying do?

"Raven, is there anything we can do for him?" Judith asked, even though she felt like she knew the answer.

"No." Raven looked away. "I can only recommend getting him back to Zaphias to rest. He'll be best off in his own bed. He's not going to be moving around for a while." Even he was disturbed by this. Having his own blastia heart had not dulled the pain of seeing another that would now bear the same curse.

"Is it safe to move him?" she asked.

"So long as we take it slow. We don't want to stress him out," the scruffy man said. He didn't want to talk about the complications that would follow. This would not be easy.

_Ba'ul, we need you_, she closed her eyes and communicated with her Entelexeia companion.

After a moment, a response resonated deep in her brain. _I will be there soon, Judith._


	15. Chapter 15 - Hollow

Author's Notes: I noticed at some point during the writing of this fanfic that a few doujins had done things that were very similar. By the time I knew this though, I had written 50 chapters believing that my idea was pretty unique and when I realized it wasn't, it was way too late for me to bother changing it. I don't think I could have and kept the story going.

* * *

Chapter 15 – Hollow

He woke in his own bed in Zaphias. He ached all over like never before. The constant recurrence of him waking up in pain was becoming a pain of its own. The sun was setting, turning the sky outside the same red-orange hue as Dahngrest always had.

"Yuri, you're awake!" Estelle said, almost too loudly for his ears, from her spot on the floor next to his head. Her eyes were glassy and red. She had been crying, probably for a while now.

He groaned. "What...?"

Everyone was there, standing or sitting around his bed like guests at a wake. They seemed relieved, although worry still showed on a few of their faces.

"We were so worried," she sobbed next to him. She was trying to sound happy, but it was to mask something else.

He remembered the anguish and the shadows and the screaming. A shock tore through his body. He tried to sit up. He felt heavy all over and every muscle cried out in pain as he tried to move.

Raven placed a weathered hand on his back and helped him. "Take it easy there, tiger. Don't strain yourself."

"What happened?" Yuri asked, rubbing his forehead a bit. His arms felt cold and limp, and almost too heavy to move

The room was silent, as if everyone was looking for an answer.

"What happened?" he asked again, a harsh impatience to his tone.

The other party members looked at each other and then down.

He remembered the fingers digging into his chest and it struck him. He reached up to his heart. He could feel it under his shirt, a smooth, hard, and round protrusion, and the hard raised spiraling pattern around it. No. No, it couldn't be true. That must have been a nightmare. This couldn't have really happened to him.

Yuri opened his shirt hurriedly and looked down at _it._ The blastia in his chest pulsed weakly with his heartbeat. It's movements were his heartbeat now. This was his heart now.

He was overcome with the urge to rip it out and scream. His fingers went straight for the metal plate embedded in his skin, but they were too weak to do much more than scrape the scarred skin around it.

Raven grabbed his hand to stop him. "That won't do you any good."

He pushed him away, as best as he could, and his hands fell limp on the bed for a moment. It was so hard to move. His head and chest hurt with every beat of this thing in his chest. His eyes stung with tears. He wouldn't let himself cry, but he let out a scream.

It rattled the whole room, and the others. The hot piece of blastia in his heart choked up suddenly, knocking the breath from his lungs. Fear gripped him tight by the back of his neck, immobilizing him. He had only just woken with it and it was already stopping?

"Y-Yuri..." Karol said quietly.

This was what Zagi had meant. Alexei's blessing. How had he not realized it before? How could he have been so stupid to not see it?

The blastia was glowing brightly, and the beat that it finally took hit Yuri like a blow to the chest. After a few seconds, it sputtered and returned to its uneasy rhythm. He took a sharp breath that stung his lungs.

There was only silence for a long moment. It seemed as though no one was sure how to react. He tried to pull himself back together. This was not the end of the world right? This wasn't happening right? He tried to stay calm. It was a fight.

"How did I get back here?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Duke found you and brought you back to the inn in Yumanju and then we transported you back here," Judith explained.

"It's going to be okay, Yuri." Estelle was trying to be comforting. He didn't reply. It wouldn't have been something nice.

He looked down at his shaking hands, and tried to steady them. His mind was racing, and then everything was suddenly silent. He slowly lowered himself back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. The pounding in his chest rattled his lungs and ribs around. He couldn't think of what to say, what to do. Everything was blank.

* * *

It had only been a few days since his attempted confession, and the sting of rejection still hung heavy in his heart. That night still lingered in his mind. Flynn had finally come up with the courage to tell the one he cared about his true feelings. And even kiss him. But he had been quickly shot down.

"Our paths have separated us before, and they'll separate us again." Those words burned in his brain and stung at his heart.

Needless to say, his brief trip to the hot spring did not prove relaxing and only managed to frustrate him further. Yuri seemed so willing when they kissed that time, but pulled away and seemed disgusted. Later on he didn't even look at him. He thought about the returned letters sitting once more in his top desk drawer. He wanted to burn them and erase any evidence of their sickly, longing nature. He wanted to be rid of his own feelings. Things would have been easier if he never felt this way at all. Maybe their relationship wouldn't be so strained. Maybe they would be friendly rivals once more instead of Flynn grasping at the ends of their fading friendship, trying to hang on desperately.

Why was Yuri so stubborn that he couldn't just give him a straight answer? 'I don't feel that way about you' or something like that he might have been able to accept, but what Yuri said was harder to swallow.

He reached down for his tea. It had long gone cold. How long had he been lost in thought?

He had been up for a while now, unable to sleep, reading over reports. Darkness had long ago crept across the sky, and he was now reading by lantern. As he finished off the last of the reports regarding the suspicious death of Magistrate Loandr, he stood from his desk, and stretched. It was late, and he was finally ready for bed. Maybe he would feel better after a good night's rest.

The bed linens were already turned down, care of the maid. He was ready to crawl in at this point. He turned down the lantern until it was just a tiny flicker of light.

He opened his armoire. Just as he was about to change into his pajamas, there came a knock at the door. If the Council was calling a meeting this late, it must have been something serious. He strode to his state room door and opened it.

Before he could even blink, a flurry of pink and white latched onto him.

Her eyes were still red from previously cried tears. She leaned into him, gripping him tightly as she sobbed into his chest.

"Lady Estellise...?"

"Yuri... he..."

Fear gripped him tight in the chest, almost stealing his breath. "Lady Estellise, what happened? What's wrong with Yuri?"

She only sobbed harder.

"He got captured by those freaks of Alexei's," Rita explained, a tinge of sadness to her voice, "We got him back... but now he's got a blastia heart."

His blood boiled, white-hot rage searing in his veins. "How is he?"

"He's awake, but it doesn't look good."

There was a long moment of silence. Flynn didn't know what to say or do, so he merely allowed Estelle to cry for another moment.

Rita touched the pink haired girl's shoulder. "Let's get you back to your room, Estelle."

"But Yuri...!"

"Judith and Raven said they would watch over him tonight. You need to rest."

She pulled away from Flynn slowly, rubbing her eyes. "G-Good night, Flynn."

"Good night, Lady Estellise." He watched them walk down the long, dark, hollow feeling hallway. He walked quietly through his state room and back into his bed room. His armoire door was still open, a tall mirror hanging on the inside. He looked at himself. The rage was still strong in him, burning his muscles like a brand. He was not going to let this go unpunished. His hands hungered for blood.

His fist flew forward, shattering the mirror into a million silvery shards. He pulled back from the bloodied mirror. Blood trickled between his fingers. He didn't even feel the pain of the cut. He was suddenly so sickened with himself. If only he had stayed a little longer.

Flynn was no longer tired. He moved back to his desk and started to write. He would find the people who did this.

* * *

"What are you looking for, Estelle?" Rita asked.

Estelle looked up from her desk that was covered in books and papers. It was starting to look like Rita's shack in Aspio after only two days back in Zaphias. She had been shifting through the papers in her desk for a while now.

"I'm looking for something to help Yuri out. Judith said that he hasn't been sleeping." She hoped that what she was looking for could help.

"What's your plan?"

After a moment, she located it. It was a couple of sheets of paper with a song written on them. "I'm going to sing him to sleep."

The brunette cocked an eyebrow at her. "He won't even let us stay in the room with him. How are you going to get him to let you sing to him?"

"He won't be able to stop me if I'm not in the room," Estelle smiled. "I'll sing to him from the other side of the door." She read over the lyrics of the song a few times, and then folded the paper up and stuck it in her pocket. "Are you ready to go?"

Rita nodded.

They left the palace, and headed down to the Lower Quarter. It was their night to stand vigil at Yuri's door in case he needed anything, and to try and get him to eat.

When they arrived, Judith was sitting in front of the door with Repede, who was chewing on one of his own feet.

"Hi, Judith."

"Hello, Estelle, Rita."

"How's Yuri doing today?" Estelle asked.

Repede replied with a shake of his head and a bark.

"He's still not doing so well. I don't know if he's slept, and I haven't been able to get him to eat much," Judith explained.

That thought saddened her. Maybe she would have better luck, and hopefully her most recent effort would help. "Thank you. Please go get some rest. Rita and I can take over from here."

The Krityan nodded and she and Repede headed down the stairs and disappeared.

Rita sat down on the wooden porch, and Estelle knocked on the door softly.

There was no reply, but she knew that Yuri was probably still awake, as he had been for a while now. She opened the door just a crack and poked her head in. Yuri was sitting up in the bed, staring down.

"Hi, Yuri."

"Hey."

It really worried her that he was so quiet. He was never without a clever or sarcastic remark, but since the shocking events in Yumanju, he had hardly said a word.

"If you need anything please just let me know," she said.

He nodded a little, but said nothing.

She shut the door slowly, bracing it with her hand to minimize the noise. She sat down next to Rita and pulled the sheets of lyrics out of her pocket. She read over them a few times. She really hoped that this would help.

"I know you haven't been sleeping well, so I thought this might help," Estelle said, loud enough to be heard inside of the tiny room. She cleared her throat and began to sing.

_Reaching out for no man's land  
To take a breath and take a chance  
I'd walk a thousand nights to change the world  
Where to go? When to start?  
Who to trust? What to say?  
Found them all, just need someone to share..._


	16. Chapter 16 - Husk

Author's Notes: Roll of the story dice again. If you hadn't noticed by now, I enjoy causing these characters pain.

Also, Happy New Years!

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 16 - Husk

A long green field stretched out before him, rolling over distant hills and up into a series of craggy, dark blue mountains. It was nearly dusk, the sun starting to sink down below the mountains. His shadow was stretching out long across the grass.

He looked down at his feet. He was wearing armor. It seemed like the basic plate mail he wore during his brief stint in the Imperial Knights, covering his feet and hands. It always felt so awkward and heavy. He looked up to the darkening blue sky. The stars could be seen twinkling overhead, Brave Vesperia the brightest. Its light flickered, and dimmed a moment, and then it shot off across the sky over the mountains. His eyes followed it.

Just on the horizon, standing at the top of the mountains was a blond figure that he recognized.

"Flynn." His voice sounded strange. It wasn't his own. It was deeper, cool, hollow, and authoritative.

He was holding his sword, his blue and white cape whipping in the wind. Even at this distance, Yuri could hear him clearly. "You won't get away with this."

"What are you talking about?"

He was standing right in front of him, sword drawn. "This is for Yuri." He pulled back, sword up ready to strike.

Before Yuri could react, the tip of the sword came across his throat. A shower of blood hit Flynn, splattering over his hands and across his face. His face was stony. He raised his sword and struck once more, the hot blade slicing across his chest.

Yuri hit the grassy ground, and struggled to speak, struggled to move. "F-Flynn..." His blood felt fire hot spilling from his throat and chest all over the ground underneath in pools. He clawed at his chest, blood all over his fingers. The wound was deep, having rent his flesh rend near in two. Beneath his top layer of skin, there was another. Uncut, but bloody still. He started to peel away this top layer, crawling out of it like a husk, like a cocoon. As soon as he was free, he felt able to breathe again. His pale flesh was still warm with blood. He looked back.

The husk was not his own body. Silver haired, clad in red, with dark and jaded red eyes. It was Alexei.

He looked up. Flynn was standing there, hands covered with blood, staring down at him. He held an apple in one hand. Bright and shiny, spotted with blood. He dropped it in shock. Horror and disgust were rampant in those clear blue eyes.

* * *

Yuri woke with a jolt. He was still too weak to move around much. He was slick with a cold sweat, and panting heavily. The image of those disgusted and horrified blue eyes was burned in his mind. He sat up slowly, bracing himself against the wall.

Thunder crashed in the dark night sky, and rain was heavily pelting the city of Zaphias.

He didn't remember going to sleep, but he must have at some point.

"Nightmares?" Raven asked from his perch in the window, occupying the space that Yuri would have if he could have gotten out of bed. "I had 'em too."

Yuri stared down at his pillow. This wasn't the first nightmare he had in the past couple of days, and he knew that it wouldn't be his last.

"About the war, about Alexei and Casey, and everything wrong with my life. What about you?"

"It's almost creepy hearing you be concerned, Old Man." His mouth was nearly too dry to speak. His normal smugness was gone.

Those ice blue eyes virtually glowed against the darkness, staring at him as if he understood everything that Yuri was going through and the things that were going to come for him. He had been there before. His own story was harrowing, even if he never talked about it. "You can keep up that front with Ol Raven, but you're gonna need someone to be honest with. This isn't something you can keep locked up inside you forever."

He lay back down. He didn't want to go back to sleep. He didn't want to see those horrified blue eyes in his dreams.

* * *

No less than half a dozen broken teacups littered the floor, along with his bed covers, and pillow. Some of these he had honestly dropped, with his fingers not working the way that he knew that they were supposed to. The others he had thrown in frustration.

He slid to the edge of the bed, struggling to sit up. It took so much effort to just do this much. He put his feet slowly on the floor and gripped the metal bed frame. He tried to get up, legs trembling, bracing himself against the bed.

His legs collapsed underneath him, and he fell backward on the bed.

Yuri rolled over onto his stomach and shouted into his mattress, groping for something else to throw. There was nothing else in reach. He flopped back over with a groan, panting. That little bit of movement was so much work on his body.

It had been three days and he hadn't been able to make it out of bed. His stomach ached. Half of it was nausea, the other half was that he had not been able to feed himself and he wasn't letting anyone else do it for him.

"Sorry that took so long," Estelle said cheerfully as she walked in, carrying a tray. "I made you some cream stew for lunch." She took a few steps into his tiny room, before stopping. She was staring at the mess on the floor. She set the tray down on his desk and knelt, gathering her skirt underneath her. She picked up a piece of the teacup.

The anger that had been brewing in him for three days now surged up, fiery hot. "Don't do that! I'll clean it up myself!" he shouted, and tried to grab to piece from her, but it slipped through his fingers and hit the floor. He swore.

She was shocked, and bolted from the room, tears welling in her eyes.

* * *

Sodia recognized the violet haired Krityan woman. She was a traveling companion of Yuri Lowell's and was a member of the same guild. One of the Royal Guard had brought her to Sodia.

"Lieutenant, this woman is asking to see the Commandant," the guard explained. "I told her that he was in a meeting with the Council at this time, but she refuses to leave."

"I'll take care of this." She walked stiffly up to Judith. "You're here to see the Commandant?"

"Yes." The Krityan's voice was calm. She had to have a good reason for being here, but Sodia couldn't figure out what it could have been. She did not seem like the kind to just drop by out of the blue for tea, although with Kritya, it could be hard to tell what they would do in most circumstances.

"The Commandant is a very busy man. He's currently in a meeting, and won't return for a while," she explained.

"That's fine. I don't mind waiting."

She wouldn't be gotten rid of easily.

"I'll show you to his state room then, and he will meet with you once his meetings are adjourned." She didn't want to take any friend of Yuri's anywhere in the palace, but by the order of Ioder and Estellise, they were guests, as much as she hated it. She couldn't just arrest Yuri every time he came climbing through the royal gardens and up the side of the palace to visit. Exceptions were made for him. He didn't want to use the front door, and Flynn had fussed at him for it before, but did little else to stop him. She understood why and she did not like it by any means.

The Krityan walked slowly, but purposefully behind her, taking in the sites of the palace as they moved. Several long hallways and flights of stairs later, and she allowed the woman into Flynn's room.

Judith slid easily into the room and sat down on the sofa. "Thank you."

"Is there a message I can give him?" She was just as curious as he would be about why Judith had come to the palace looking for a meeting with him.

"If it helps, you can tell him it's in regards to Yuri Lowell." She said that like she knew it would speed his arrival. Sodia knew that it would too.

Her cat eyes grew wide. The Krityan seemed serious, but a bit detached. Sodia wondered what could have happened to her most hated rival, Yuri Lowell.

"I'll let him know that you're here," she said, and left promptly.

Flynn was in a meeting with the Council at the time and she headed down to see how it was going. They had been in meeting since this morning regarding the deaths of Magistrate Loandr, and of Councilman Idaizeus and his reports about the suspicious activity at the Manor of the Wicked. Also in discussion was the recent discovery of Alexei's followers.

She waited for a while, and finally the meeting adjourned.

He came out, looking exhausted. There were dark bags under his eyes as if he hadn't slept in days and his face bore a look of deep concern. Something had been bothering him for a few days now, and every time she asked, he told her that it was nothing to be concerned about. If he was losing sleep over it, it was something she did need to worry about.

"Sir, there is a Krityan woman here to see you," she explained, walking beside him as they headed away from the conference room.

"Did she say what for?" His thoughts were elsewhere.

"All she said is that it is in regards to Yuri Lowell." Even his name made her angry.

He was taken aback. His eyes always softened when he heard that name, no matter how angry he may have been at the person who held it. That person held too his heart, much to her dismay. "Thank you. You're dismissed."

She watched as he turned sharply and walked briskly down the hall to his room. She knew this was going to be his reaction. At that moment, she had never felt further away from him. This was a fight that she was losing.

* * *

He struggled to keep himself from throwing open the door and immediately asking what was going on. He had to stay calm. Nothing good would come of him losing control right now. He opened the door slowly to find Judith, sitting on his sofa, staring out the window.

"I hope that you have not been waiting long," he said, shutting the door behind him.

"Not too long."

He moved to the chair on the opposite side of the coffee table. "I was told that your visit is in regards to Yuri."

"Yes."

"How is he?" He was fighting to not sound panicked.

"Not well, I'm afraid. He's still in a state of shock and anger. He's not sleeping well or eating, and he's still too weak to get out of bed," she explained.

He nodded slowly, taking this information in. He could only imagine how Yuri looked, and the image wasn't good. "Is there anything I can do to help?" His hands were shaking.

"Have you been down to see him?" Her tone was delicate, but he could feel the accusations.

He shook his head. It dawned on him that he had been so busy trying to find the people who did this that he neglected to see how Yuri was doing. That realization stung him. How could he have neglected his dearest friend in his time of need?

"He won't let any of us stay with him at length. I think that it would really help him. After all, you've known Yuri for such a long time. You've witnessed him at his most vulnerable before. Maybe he'll let _you_ help him where we can't."

It was the truth, cold and hard. Yuri never seemed to be vulnerable, but Flynn remembered their childhood. Yuri had always been tough, but there were some things that were difficult for even him to overcome.

"I'll go," Flynn said.

"You should make him dinner and take it also, since he hasn't been eating."

He cringed, "He won't eat my cooking."

"Why not?"

"I'm a horrendous cook." Yuri had never been able to stomach a meal that he prepared and made no qualms about telling him as much.

"I'll help then," she smiled. "We'll make him something nice. Just trust me."

He didn't have a choice at this point. He just wanted to help Yuri. He would do anything necessary.


	17. Chapter 17 - Hearts

Author's Notes: I really enjoyed writing these next few chapters, although they're still a little hard to read.

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 17 - Hearts

The pot was warm in the crook of his arm in spite of the cold rain. In his other hand, he carried a bag with some dishes and a jug of herbal fruit water that Judith had shown him how to make. The heavy wool coat that he wore kept most of the chill rain off of him as he walked.

Flynn was preparing himself for the worst as he took the long walk from the castle down to the Lower Quarter. Yuri had been in town for three days with his new heart. It was hard to think about. Even a year after his death, Alexei was still haunting the world. His work had almost brought the world to an end at the appendages of the Adephagos. The things that he had done affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. And now, a year after his death, his life's work had left another scar.

He arrived, and stood at the steps for a moment. He looked up at the empty window, where Yuri always sat. There was a soft light emanating from the room. He took a deep breath and took the first step slowly. He was shaking. He couldn't recall ever being this afraid before. He swallowed his fear, and took another step and then another, until he was at the top.

Karol was sitting in front of the door, and looked up at him in surprise. It must have been a little unusual for him to see Flynn out of uniform.

"Flynn..."

"I'll take over from here," he said gently, trying to smile a little.

He stood and nodded, and trudged grimly down the stairs, his usual enthusiasm missing. It seemed as though Yuri was in such as state that he didn't even want the others in the room with him. How was he going to react to Flynn being there?

He set the bag down on the porch and knocked, a little softer than he would have at any other time.

"Go away," Yuri's muffled voice came from inside.

At least he was awake.

Flynn put his hand on the doorknob. He took a deep breath, his heart pounding. He could only imagine what Yuri's felt like.

He opened the door.

Yuri's room was more of a mess than normal. There were shattered cups on the floor, along with a couple of blankets. Yuri was in his messy bed, sitting up in the corner. Even in the dim candlelight, he looked like a wreck. His eyes were dark and hollow looking, with bags under them. He looked paler than normal, and his dark hair was pulled back in a matted ponytail. He clothes were a mess also, with the exception of his shirt, which, for the first time that Flynn could remember, was buttoned all the way up to his throat.

"What do you want?" he asked, staring at the wall. His tone was flat and cold. "Since when does the Commandant have time to burn around the Lower Quarter? Don't you have criminals to catch or drills to practice or something?"

Rather than answer immediately, Flynn closed the door behind him, and set down the bag and the pot on Yuri's dresser. He pulled his coat off and set it carefully on the chair of Yuri's small, rickety, wooden desk. He would give Yuri a few moments to vent his venom. He needed it.

"Say something, damn it!" Yuri launched his pillow at him, but it didn't make it all the way. It landed only a few feet from him, in the shards of glass on the floor. There was so little strength behind it, but not for lack of him wanting it to be there.

He wanted to reply but he remained silent for a moment as he opened the pot. The scent of spicy mabo curry filled the tiny room. When Yuri didn't say anything further, Flynn finally spoke. "I brought you some dinner." He fixed a plate for him, and then a cup of the herbal water, and walked it over to him.

"I'm not hungry."

Flynn ignored this and set the plate down on the bed and the cup on the nightstand. He moved to the open window where rainwater was dripping all over the floor. He wanted to complain about the window being open with the cold wintry rain that pelted the world outside. He wanted to warn Yuri that he was going to make himself sick. He forced himself not to. He shut the window slowly until it was just cracked in order to let in a little fresh air.

When he turned, Yuri was picking at the curry. "You made this?" He seemed like he had calmed down a little bit.

"Don't worry. Judith helped," he replied.

The dark haired man picked up his spoon. He was struggling with it. His fingers were shaking and fighting to hold it. He tried to scoop up some of the curry, but the spoon slipped, hitting the plate with a clink.

Flynn sat down on the bed, and picked it up. He handed it back to Yuri.

"I told you, I'm not hungry."

"Yuri, you need to eat something," he said gently.

He stared away. After a moment, he tried to eat once more. He managed to awkwardly shovel a few bites of food into his mouth.

It was painful to watch him struggle like this. Flynn had never seen Yuri in a condition as bad as this before. Even when he was sick only a week ago, it wasn't as bad as this. He had never been too weak to feed himself.

He dropped the spoon again and didn't bother to retrieve it. He pushed the plate away. Flynn didn't push him to eat anymore. Yuri was already so frustrated. He handed him the water. He took a few sips, and shakily put it back on the nightstand.

"You never answered my question."

"I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm great, can't you tell?" Anger was consuming him once more.

"I'm sorry," was all he could manage.

"The last thing I need is you feeling sorry for me too!"

Flynn stood and took the plate back to the dresser. He put the lid back on the pot, and took a deep breath. He looked back to the bed, where Yuri was scrunched up in the corner again. How long had it been since he slept? How long had it been since he was able to feed himself properly? Judith said that he hadn't been able to get out of bed. He looked as though he could cry. He hadn't seen Yuri cry in a very long time. He seemed incapable of tears, always sarcastic and smug even during the darkest of times. He realized now that Yuri, in spite of popular beliefs, including his own, was not invincible. He was hurting and broken. He was mortal. He was only human, and Flynn thought that people forgot that a lot of the time. Yuri would be the last person to admit any of these things.

He wanted to do anything he could to help. He moved back over to the bed and knelt down in front of it. "Please tell me what happened."

"It looks like you already know." Those dark eyes remained fixed on the wall.

"Yuri, I just want to help you."

"I don't need help!"

"No one is going to think anything less of you for asking for help, or for needing it," Flynn replied. "Everyone is just trying to help and you're pushing them away. You're pushing _me_ away." He felt responsible. The guilt was eating away at his insides. If he had only stayed a little longer, then his never would have happened. Even he had once thought that Yuri was invincible. He easily overcame illness and loss and hangovers. He once fought to save the world.

"Leave me alone." He sounded so hollow all of a sudden.

Treating him like the fragile thing that he was right now was not getting him anywhere. "Let me see it," he demanded, crawling up onto the bed. He grabbed Yuri by the front of his dark shirt.

* * *

Yuri didn't look at him and didn't fight back. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to see it. In his current state, there wasn't anything that he could do to stop Flynn, so he didn't bother. He knew about it, and he would see it one way or another.

Buttons popped off the shirt as he ripped it open.

Underneath the layer of dark fabric was a dimly glowing red blastia surrounded by a spiral of dark metal against Yuri's pale chest, spreading out into scarred flesh.

Flynn was overwhelmed by sorrow. He wrapped his arms around Yuri's waist and pressed his face into his abdomen. "I-I'm so sorry... I couldn't save you from this..." He was sobbing, hot tears soaking his shirt.

"I'll learn to live with it... I don't really have a choice," Yuri said softly. He felt sad and weak and hollow, like his heart was not the only thing that Alexei's followers had ripped out. He had been so angry these past couple of days, but with Flynn's appearance it welled in him hot and hard, and then fizzled out like a fading star.

He rubbed Flynn's back a little. "Don't cry like that." He hadn't been able to cry even with as sad as he was and with as much pain as he was in. "You'll give yourself hiccups."

After a few moments, the blond's crying eased a bit, and Yuri was pulled gently into lying back down on the bed. "I couldn't bear the thought of losing you again..." Flynn pulled back a bit and was looking him in the eyes, but still held onto him tightly.

Guilt stung the hole in his chest. His feelings for Flynn were still there, even past everything else tearing up the insides of his miserable, cursed body. He still had his reasons for denying this. He couldn't say anything. The dream from the night before was still burned in memory. The eyes before him though, were not filled with disgust after seeing the blastia in his chest. They were sad and gentle and the same beautiful blue.

"Please let us help you. I know that you're strong, but this is something that even you can't bear alone."

He couldn't help but think about what Flynn said to him in Dahngrest and how true it was. _You would sooner die than admit that you were in any pain or in need of help!_ He had been right. Even now, with all that was said and done, he was having trouble admitting that he needed help.

Yuri only nodded a little. Flynn gripped him tighter. He could feel the round protrusion in his chest butt up against the blond's chest. Tangled up in Flynn's strong, warm arms, his felt that much weaker. How hard was he going to have to fight to reach the level he was once at, where they had been equals on the battlefield? He could hear their heartbeats over the sound of the rain.

What had his real heart even felt like? He remembered it hurting sometimes, the sting of sadness, and he remembered how it pounded when he was scared or excited. He thought of how it ached when he thought about Flynn and the reasons that he had convinced himself that they could never be together. He could feel how angry it was when he was forced to resort to the things that he had done and how it never regretted those things. And now, this cold piece of blastia only felt hard and hollow. It sounded so strange and mechanical. Every little sputter or pop would cause it to seize up and stop working suddenly, and would scare him half to death. Over the beat of his own new heart he could hear Flynn's. It was steady and strong, like the beating of a drum. Yuri's was like that the ticking of a clock, counting down to the time when it would stop working.


	18. Chapter 18 - Dawn

Author's Notes: This chapter is pretty short, but I did what I needed to do with it. It also presents why the fic is titled Legacy.

(1/7/13): I'm without internet at my apartment right now, so updates this week may be a little lacking. I'm hoping to have it up again by Friday.

* * *

Chapter 18 - Dawn

Dawn's light stirred him from his sleep. He was comfortable and didn't want to get up. He was still holding his dark haired friend, who was sleeping soundly. He held him all night, and in a tiny way, that made him feel a better. Yuri was going to get through this, and he would help.

As much as Flynn regretted it, he was going to have to get up. He did have a job to do. He slowly pulled up and away from Yuri, who remained snoring softly on the mattress. He picked up a blanket off the floor and shook the dust and bits of broken cups off of it, before draping it gently over him.

Flynn picked up Yuri's hand gently, caressing those pale fingers with his thumb. He leaned in close to Yuri, intent on kissing him on the forehead, but he stopped himself. This was not the time. He had to be there for Yuri. His feelings could not get in the way.

His friend smelled so vastly different. Usually Yuri smelled of cooking, especially sweets, and the herbal soap he used for his hair, but now he didn't. He smelled like his musty bed, like sweat, like blood, and it was unnerving.

He really had come so close to death this time. He had accepted Flynn's help, even if it was only confirmed by a small nod filled with shame. But knowing Yuri, it would still be a while before he was completely ready for assistance. He needed to heal and to adjust to what had happened.

Instead of kissing him, he moved a little of Yuri's dark hair out of the way and whispered in his ear. "I have to go, but I'll try to stop by again soon."

One of those charcoal eyes opened just slightly, and he groaned. After only a second, the eye closed again, and Yuri was snoring softly once more.

"I promise that the person who did this will pay," Flynn said, and then pulled back. He didn't want to go. He forced himself to silently slip out of the room before he had second thoughts and convinced himself to stay.

Repede was waiting outside the door, peeking in. He let out a worried whine and pawed at the door.

"Take good care of him for me, Repede."

Flynn opened the door just enough to let the dog in, and watched briefly as he padded over to the bed and hopped up next to Yuri. The one eyed dog glanced over to him and laid down. He shut the door. It felt like something inside of him snapped, like he was severing a connection. It felt like when they were kids, and he kept telling Yuri to hurry and catch up with him, and Yuri was getting left behind.

* * *

He cursed not having his coat as the heavy rain continued in the city. He was never careless, but he had forgotten it back in Yuri's room. He was not going back to get it and run the possibility of waking him when he was finally sleeping. He walked slowly back up through the Public Quarter to the Royal Quarter. Knights saluted him stiffly as he passed and he nodded to each one and threw an occasional 'keep up the good work' or similar comment at them. None of them questioned his presence on the rainy streets of Zaphias out of his usual blue and white uniform and armor.

He was allowed back into the palace without a second thought and he headed straight to his room, intent on a little time to think, and possibly a shower, before he was expected down to breakfast with Ioder and Estelle, and the responsibilities that his position demanded that would follow.

His room felt more hollow than ever. As he walked through it, he felt worlds away from the tiny, but cozy little room that he had slept in that night. In reality, he was worlds away, separated by walls and rising streets, and staggering buildings that circled the castle, and money. For a brief moment, he felt like he did not belong.

This world was one of nobles, those with birthright, those with prominent lineages, those with old money. He had none of those things. He was born in the Lower Quarter, and his father was a well respected, but poor Knight, without title or land. They did not have a rich family history. The Scifos were not by any means renowned or monied. Even though his father had the respect of those he served with, that faded when he died, and Flynn, who was only ten, was left orphaned.

But he had fought to get to where he was now. Well, he and Yuri. Yuri's efforts were the ones that put him in this position. He always felt that he should tell someone, anyone, of the things that Yuri Lowell had done to save Terca Lumireis, but he never did. Yuri hadn't pressured him into silence, but at the same time, he felt that Yuri just didn't want people to know. He didn't want the recognition that came with it or the responsibilities. They had only once discussed this briefly shortly before Alexei's defeat.

Flynn pulled off the simple and soaked clothing he had worn to see Yuri: a pair of simple black pants and an unadorned blue shirt. He threw them in his bathroom hamper and prepared a hot shower.

The hot water was a welcome change to the chill from the rain that had been clinging to his bones, and for a few long moments, he just stood there beneath the faucet and let it wash over him while he thought.

A mere thought of Alexei, no matter how brief, made his blood turn hot once more, and it had only increased with the release of his charged emotions the night before when he found himself sobbing like a babe into Yuri's lap. That's what he was though. He was a scared child right now, lashing out, trying to do anything that he could but frightened of what had happened and what was to come. He wanted to do so many things, but he was at a stalemate now. What could he do right now? They had no leads on the whereabouts of Alexei's followers, even with all this efforts over the past few days.

He thought about Yuri's heart. A red piece of blastia and a spiral of metal embedded in his chest. It was Alexei's legacy, as horrifying at it was. It was now carved into Yuri, permanently scarring the one that he cared the most about like some horrible trophy for the dead Commandant. He was still leaving scars after this long, and now Flynn was scarred too. Maybe not physically like Yuri, but his heart ached painfully. It was an emotional scar that would be there long after any physical one that he could have inflicted would have healed.

Flynn managed to pull himself out of his thoughts and out the shower. Breakfast was waiting, and then the morning meeting with the Council, and he would watch over the practice drills. Then lunch, and troop reassignments and other such paperwork. That would be followed by inspection of the new recruits and tea, and then the evening meeting with the Council. Thoughts of the day ahead kept him from thinking too much about everything else that was weighing on him.


	19. Chapter 19 - Scars

Author's Notes: Yuri's not the only one who dreams.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 19 - Scars

Flynn knew that he was dreaming this time. He was there with Yuri, in his bed, when he knew that Yuri was suffering in his own bed down in the Lower Quarter. He had had this dream before and had woken depressed and alone more than once. At least in his dreams, though, Yuri did not shy away from his touch or his tender kisses. His lips were ever eager for hungry kisses, like those of a man who was starving. His arms were ever wrapped around him, caught up in a sweet, tight embrace. His voice was ever sweet and his body ever longing.

His hands and lips explored the expanse of Yuri's cream-colored skin, and traced the lines of well-formed, lean muscles across his chest and abdomen. He ground their bare hips together and listened intently to every soft moan and sigh cause by the friction between them. Those charcoal eyes were bright as fire, not with anger as they usually were, but with hunger.

Flynn took the time to touch every little bit of skin, enraptured with the touch, taste, and scent of his friend. He was especially gentle in caressing the three most recent additions to Yuri's body: the diagonal slash across his chest that was silvery and only a few weeks old, the star shaped scar over his kidney, and the blastia heart.

Yuri shuddered a little as he touched it, not with physical pain, but a slight fear of his new heart. The round blastia was smooth, rainwater soft under his fingers and warm. After a moment, Yuri pulled him back into a kiss and away from the object in his chest. His mouth was hot and sweet and inviting, and he moved on.

The dark haired man allowed him to take the lead and continue. He had had dreams where Yuri had taken the lead in the act, and he was quite all right with that. Their relationship was one of equals. There was no 'man' or 'woman'. They were the same. As long as they were together, Flynn didn't mind either way.

His hand moved down to touch once more the star shaped scar. The pale skin quivered beneath his fingers.

"Flynn..." he called out softly. And then again, but his voice was a little higher pitched, rigid, the passion gone.

"Flynn."

He looked down at him curiously. Nothing had changed. They were still in the throes of passion.

"Sir!"

* * *

"Sir!" Sodia called from the doorway.

Flynn hadn't even realized that he had dozed off at his desk until she woke him. He had been so busy lately that sleep was not a priority. He slept the night before, mostly out of being overwhelmed by his own emotions and holding Yuri all night. He sat up straight, wide awake suddenly. It was the middle of the afternoon, probably shortly before teatime. "What is it, Sodia?"

"An urgent message has arrived from Captain LeBlanc."

What was going on in Vonael now?

She handed him the letter and took a step back.

He slit it open easily with a small knife from in his desk, and pulled out the letter. It was dated two days earlier, and was a hastily written report. Blotches of ink dotted the page, obscuring some of the letters, but he was able to make out the contents.

_Commandant,_

_ My brigade and I arrived on the continent of Yurzorea, to the Imperial Colony of Vonael to find only destruction waiting for us. We found no signs of life, or even of people, only burned buildings. On the inside of the city wall the message 'He shall rise once more' was painted. We have investigated the surrounding area, but have found no evidence of what might have happened to the colony. We will head back to the capital, where I will submit a full report._

_ LeBlanc_

Since Yuri's return to Zaphias, things had been rapidly declining. He rubbed one of his temples in agitation, setting the letter back down on the desk. Had this event also been caused by these zealous followers of the former Commandant Alexei? Hopefully, LeBlanc would be back any day now and he would receive a more complete briefing on the events and the status of the colony. He needed to know everything before he decided what to do next. Waiting patiently was usually his strong suit, but right now he just wanted to act.

"Please inform me the moment Captain LeBlanc returns."

"Yes, Sir."

"You're dismissed, Sodia."

"Actually, Sir, there is someone here to see you also."

He wasn't ready to see anybody. He didn't want to see anybody. He wanted to be left alone for just a little while so that he could sort out all the confusing things going on in his mind.

"Hey, Commandant." A familiar scruffy face poked his head up from behind Sodia.

"Captain Schw-" He corrected himself. "Raven."

Raven shot him a weak attempt at a smile. "Wouldn't be too busy for a bit of chat, would ya?"

Flynn nodded to Sodia, who saluted, and made her exit.

Raven instantly dropped his facade, straightening up his normally slouched stance. "I'm supposing that you've received word about the colony of Vonael."

"What do you know about it?" Flynn asked. This man had no obligation to share information with him, seeing as he was no longer in the Imperial Knights, but he knew that Raven was a fount of knowledge, having eyes and ears all over the world.

"They call themselves Alexei's Word. I suspect that their presence on Yurzorea was to build a foothold in the world far from the Empire's influence, under the guise of establishing a new colony. Sources inform me that their numbers include people from all backgrounds, from nobles to mages to common folk. Any who were seduced by his charisma. Rumors have it that there are even followers of his still among the Imperial Knights."

Flynn listened intently, processing every word as fast as his brain would allow. Perhaps the situation was more dire than his own sources had reported. Perhaps some of his own sources were even involved in concealing information from him. It was not a possibility that he wanted to consider, but it was still a possibility. If what Raven said was true, than the colony had been a farce the whole time. Loandr had been murdered to hide the truth, and Idaizeus probably as well. They hired a guild to keep the monsters out of town rather than ask for assistance from the capital because the Knights would have immediately been suspicious of the missing Magistrate and any unusual activity going on. Yuri and Brave Vesperia were just a piece of the plan. They hired a small, widely unheard of novice guild that would not be likely to suspect anything. And when Idaizeus was found murdered, Yuri was a perfect scapegoat. The pieces of this puzzle were slowly fitting together.

"So you mean to say that the entire colony was a plan by this group of zealots, Alexei's Word?"

"More or less."

"I assume that's why you were in Vonael with Brave Vesperia." He felt the anger in his body rising once more. It had never dissipated, only ebbed a little to allow him to maintain his composure in the face of other people.

Raven nodded.

"And you didn't bother to inform Yuri and the others about what was going on?" he asked, raking the fingernails of his sword hand across the lacquered surface of his desk so hard that he left markings in the wood.

Raven watched the fingers of that sword hand tighten in rage, but remained calm. "The less people who knew the better. The rumors were largely unconfirmed until very recently."

Flynn was off his chair in a split second, the front of the scruffy man's magenta shirt balled in his fist. The rage was drowning out his reason. His fists ached to hit something, someone. "You knowingly put him in danger?!" It wasn't really a question.

"Look, I know yer upset about what happened to the kid," he was bringing the facade his usually wore back up, "We all are, and I'm sorry." He looked away, his blue eyes belying a trace of distress over the current situation.

"Why didn't you tell him? Or me? Or anyone?"

"My hands were tied. Like I said, everything was still rumor. There was no reason to go warning them about something that I didn't even know was a certainty yet."

The blond's grasp didn't loosen at all. Those excuses didn't sate his rage.

"If yer gonna hit me just do it."

He didn't even bother to think twice about that offer. His fist cracked Raven square in the nose, cartilage yielding beneath the force of the blow. Flynn let go of his shirt and pushed him away.

The anger inside of him ebbed a little once more and he was able to control himself. He thought briefly that Yuri's impulsive nature must have been rubbing off on him a little after their last several arguments, two of which had nearly ended in fistfights, and the one that did. He wasn't even really that angry with Raven, he realized. He was angry with himself still.

Raven wiped his bloodied nose on his shirtsleeve, and grinned in his slanted and halfhearted way. "Feeling a little better?"

Flynn took a deep breath and turned away. He opened his mouth to speak, but paused a moment to gather his thoughts. "I apologize. I took my anger I have for myself out on you. It was uncalled for."

"I'm to blame too. I should have trusted the others enough to let them know. At my age, it's hard to trust anybody."

He nodded in reply. "You bear the same thing Yuri does now. Please help him get through this." It was hard for him to say that. He had urged Yuri to accept their help, but he was being selfish in wanting to be the one to help Yuri now. This could not be a solitary effort though. It would take everyone.

Raven clapped a hand down on his shoulder. "Don't worry. It'll take some time, but the kid's gonna be fine." He turned. "I hate to say this, but let's keep this between us for right now. We don't want to expose ourselves too much while we're still reeling. We need some time to bounce back."

"Agreed." When he turned back, Raven was gone.

* * *

He wasn't in the mood for visitors after Flynn had been by, but Estelle let the old man in anyway. It was not quite who he expected to find coming to his door, but it was an interesting change of pace from those he had met on his journey. This old face was one he had known since childhood, someone who always had a bit of encouragement for him, even if it never sounded that way.

"Hey, Yuri."

The current situation was not something he wanted to explain to Hanks. He hoped that he wouldn't ask. He didn't even want to talk to anyone right now. He hadn't in the past few days, but Flynn had forced him to talk just a bit. At least he wasn't angry anymore. Instead, his hollow insides swelled with a bottomless depression.

"I don't know what's up with you lately, but I know it's gotta be pretty serious if you're laid up like this. Whole Lower Quarter's worried 'cause you haven't been up to your normal trouble making." The elder made himself quite at home in the chair at Yuri's desk. His bones audibly creaked as he sat.

"It's nothing to worry about."

The heavy, rounded end of Hanks cane met the back of his head in a swift strike. Yuri didn't even have the strength to stop or dodge the blow. "If I can get a hit off on ya, then there's something wrong. I don't know what you've gone and done to yerself, but I know that you wouldn't tell me even if I ask."

'It's not like this was my choice' was what Yuri thought, but he didn't say it.

"Whatever's going on, you better get yourself together. Agafina would be disappointed to see ya like this. You wouldn't want to disappoint your old grandmother, would you?"

He hadn't thought of his grandmother in a while now. She was a kind, old woman who had adopted him when he was nothing but a filthy street rat, before even Flynn lived in the Lower Quarter. She was the only parent figure he knew until Flynn's dad very nearly adopted him. She died when he was ten, only a few months after the untimely death of Flynn's dad. She taught him how to cook and gave him a chance at life off the streets.

"You should go down and see her, you ungrateful shit. Even after death, I know she worries for you. Her grave hasn't been tended in a while. That's your responsibility." Hanks nodded, agreeing with himself. "And you should be more grateful to your friends for trying to help out a scoundrel like yerself. Stop putting up a brave front and let 'em help you."

He hated being lectured, but Hanks had a point. It was the same point that Flynn made. Maybe this wasn't a burden that he could bear all on his own and expect to get anywhere with. He didn't want to admit it, but he would probably really need the help of his friends here in the near future if he was going to get out of this rut he felt like he was in.

"Hey, Hanks."

"Hm?"

"When you get a chance, would you bring me a nice wooden plank?"

"What cha need that for?"

"Nothing important."


	20. Chapter 20 - Watch

Author's Notes: These next several chapters may feel a little disjointed, but I did that on purpose, because I'm using it to show everyone in the party's reactions to whats happening and what they are doing while Yuri is recovering. It's still mostly Flynn and Yuri centric. I've had a lot of fun writing from everyone's perspectives, especially Repede and Raven's.

* * *

Chapter 20 - Watch

Five nights he had woken from nightmares while drifting in and out of sleep trying to avoid them. The images of himself crawling out of Alexei's body, while Flynn stared at him in horror with that apple in his hand and blood splattered across his face were constantly haunting him every time he closed his eyes to rest even just a little. He struggled to stay awake through the night, but failed every time. Part of it was that he was just so tired, but there was also Estelle's nightly singing from outside his door. It was soothing, and he couldn't bring himself to yell at her again. He hadn't apologized for the first time. She was really trying to help him, and so was everyone else. Even Flynn had shown up and stayed with him all night.

Yuri still found it difficult to accept the help of the others. He had been on his own long enough to have learned that he need only rely on himself, but this was different. They respected his wish to be left mostly alone after the first night when they were sure that he was at least out of danger. He didn't want them staring at him or doting over him, and really the room was much too small for him and another person anyway. They had insisted on keeping watch at his door, or if it was Raven, from the window, and bringing him food that he ate very little of. He tried. His stomach rejected most anything he tried to put in it, or his hands wouldn't stop shaking long enough to hold anything. Even the mabo curry that Flynn had made for him (that actually tasted good) was too much for him to handle.

A knock on the door didn't surprise him, and he didn't respond. He was too tired.

Karol let himself in, with Judith standing behind him.

"Hey, Yuri..."

If the kid asked him how he felt one more time he would tell him honestly: empty, hollow, like a puppet that had its strings snapped. He had been holding back that answer. He had been holding back the urge the scream and cry, to tell them to stop wasting their time on him and just leave him alone to rot away.

"Just wanted to let you know that Judith and I are heading back to Dahngrest to wrap up some guild business. We're just putting things on hold until you're better."

He wondered if that was ever going to happen. Five days and he still couldn't stand, no matter how much he fought. He had tried to pick up his sword the day before to test out how his arms were healing, only to drop it, and leave a long cut in the wooden floor.

"You can handle things without me, boss," Yuri replied. Who knew how long it would be before he was able to walk again, much less fight?

"N-No way!" Karol said indignantly, his arms stiffened angrily at his sides. "You're part of the team. All for the guild and the guild for all! I'm sure that you'll be back up in no time!"

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He couldn't say that the kid was too bright for believing something like that, but it certainly was something to admire. The one time he had bothered to ask Raven how long it took for him to recover, he didn't like the answer.

"We'll be back tomorrow," Judith added. "Repede will be taking care of you until Estelle and Rita come by a little later."

The one eyed dog wuffed, and slipped into the room between the Krityan's legs.

He nodded, and moved to scratch Repede behind the ear as he sat beside the bed.

"Also, you have a guest."

Oh goddess, not Flynn again. He wasn't ready for another talking to about accepting the help of others or for the waterworks to start up again. Anybody but Flynn. Hell, even LeBlanc's boisterous attitude would be welcome over Flynn who just managed to look at him sadly. _Anybody but Flynn._

Those cat eyes and orange hair were _not_ what Yuri had in mind when he thought _'Anybody but Flynn_'. This was worse. Far, far worse.

Sodia was the absolute last person he expected to come and see him, and when Judith and Karol said their goodbyes and shut the door, the tiny room felt even smaller. At least he had Repede there in case this situation got hairy.

"Come to finish the job?" He was joking, but his tone was humorless.

She narrowed her eyes and looked away. "Look. I don't like you, but... the way the Flynn feels about you is as plain as day."

He looked at her, a little surprised that she would admit something like that. It was no surprise to him that she hated him, especially after the wound that he had incurred at Zaude that nearly resulted in his death. He could tell how she felt about Flynn, and as evident from the unopened love letters hidden in his armoire, he didn't seem to reciprocate. Maybe he never opened them and he didn't know they were from her.

"Don't think that me admitting that means that I've given up!"

"Why are you here?"

"You're distracting him. He hasn't slept in days because he won't stop thinking about you. He's been consumed by whatever is going on. So, whatever's going on needs to end so that he can focus again!"

If it were only that easy.

"You could be rid of me. I can't even fight back now." He was taunting her, but it was the truth. She had a sword on her, he couldn't even hold his. "You tried it once. What's stopping you from doing it a second time? I know that it's not guilt."

Repede looked at him and whined, but he ignored it.

She stiffened visibly, and was looking for words. "I... I don't even understand what he sees in you! He's perfect and you're nothing but filth!"

She did a good job reminding him of one of the reasons that he couldn't return Flynn's feelings. Well, close enough.

"We're still rivals, Yuri Lowell!"

_Wow, Flynn. Your fan girl is sure scary._

There was a very brief knock on his door, before Estelle opened it and entered. "I apologize if I'm interrupting something..."

Sodia became rigid once more. Yuri had kept quiet about the goings on between them, but if Estelle knew, she was much more likely to tell Flynn. As calm as he normally was, and as passionate as he was about Yuri, it was hard to gauge how he would react.

"Don't worry. Sodia was just telling me to get better." Yuri managed to smirk for the first time in a long time.

"Wow, Sodia," Estelle smiled brightly. "That's really nice of you!"

Yuri had covered for her once more, and she looked relieved, but her eyes burned with anger toward him. He had twisted her intentions for being there, and he knew it.

"I-If you'll excuse me, Lady Estellise." Sodia turned sharply on her heel, her face as red as a brand from embarrassment and anger and left as quickly as she could.

Yuri could hear her nearly run down the steps that led up to his room.

* * *

He hated to see his human suffering. He called the dark haired man his human because the man claimed no ownership of him. They were partners. They took care of each other. When he was hungry, the man brought him food. When the man was cold on the long winter nights, he would sleep with him. They had a symbiotic relationship and Repede would not have had it any other way.

Right now his human, Yuri, was suffering, and Repede had resolved to do what he could to help.

The sun was setting when Estelle arrived and that orange haired girl that followed Flynn around left. He was glad. He didn't like her. Yuri had never verbalized what she had done to make him dislike her so, but Repede could feel the man's muscles tense whenever she was near.

Estelle had brought Yuri dinner. He watched as he tried eat, but in his current weakened state, it was difficult on him.

"Thanks for helping, Repede." She reached down and petted his head for a moment before he pulled away. She frowned a little.

It wasn't that he disliked the girl. This girl was kind to his human, and was doing her best to help him. Even so, she was the kind who would dote on him if he gave her the chance, so he never did.

He moved over to the window, and looked back at them. He wuffed, and put his front paws up on the sill. His duties here were done, and he had plans elsewhere.

"What's wrong, Repede?"

"Don't worry about him. He's just heading out." His human knew what to expect, and was not concerned by his behavior. The dog came and went as he pleased.

"Where's he going?"

Yuri shrugged slightly. "If he wants you to know, he'll tell you."

She looked at him intensely, as if trying to find the answer.

He barked, and hopped out the window. She didn't need to know where he was going.

Repede landed on all fours on the cobblestone street below the room he shared with Yuri. He stretched briefly and lifted his head back up to the window. Neither of the humans moved to follow him. He broke into a full run through the Lower Quarter, weaving through people as he moved. Most of the people paid him little mind. He had lived in the Lower Quarter for five years now, and they had become accustomed to his behavior.

He ran all the way to a mostly abandoned part of the Lower Quarter, his feet padding across the ground as fast as lightning.

This portion of the Lower Quarter was the worst of all. The buildings were far more run down than in other sections. Many of them had been burned down in a fire that had occurred a few years ago. He and his human had helped out then, but that was not what he was concerned about now.

He found a few crates stacked up next to a scorched stone wall. He hopped up one after another and took his usual seat on the top of the wall. He looked out over to the horizon. The sun was nearly set now. The time was right.

Repede raised his head and from within erupted a long, bellowing howl. It was loud enough to be heard as far as the palace. With this, he called to order a meeting of the Little Wolves.

Within moments, cats and dogs came from all over the capital. Some of them were strays, streetwise, and others were the pampered pets of nobles, either way, they were his people, they were his guild. Their glittering eyes looked up at him as they gathered around, awaiting his words. It was not often that he called on them, but when it was, they knew that it was important.

Once they had all gathered, he spoke to them in their language. He knew and understood the human tongue, but it was their language that was important now. He told them of the darkness of Alexei's followers that was seeping into the land. He told them of the thing that had happened to his kind human, the human that had aided in saving their world. He told them of the darkness that was sure to come without their help. He told them these things and they listened intently.

And then he urged them to find the people responsible. Scour the city for every trace of these people who would only bring them disaster. Find them, smoke them out. Bring him every bit of evidence of their whereabouts so that he could make them pay.

The animals dispersed, and he returned to the tiny room that he shared with his human, to keep watch over him once more.


	21. Chapter 21 - Help

Author's Notes: I enjoyed writing Raven WAY more than I should have. He really gets a lot more focus than the other characters during this fic because the events impact him in a different way than they do everyone else.

Also, in case you were interested/confused, I have posted on tumblr my very brief interpretation of Sodia and what her role in this story is/isnt. ( post/40738728275/if-you-are-reading-my-tov-fanfic-legacy-please-note)

_Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai._

* * *

Chapter 21 - Help

Effortlessly, silently, he walked up the wooden steps. He spied the two young girls in front of the door. The pink haired one was sleeping, her head propped up on the brunette's shoulder while the other girl was reading. He may have been quiet, but his brightly colored clothing and grin gave him away.

"Hey, Old Man. What are you going here?" Annoyance constantly laced Rita's voice. She peered over her book at him with suspicion in her teal eyes.

"Just come to take over watch for you and Sleeping Beauty there."

She always looked at him as though doubting his true intentions. After the things he had done, he didn't blame her. She had never really forgiven him for kidnapping Estelle during the events of the previous year, in spite of everything that motivated him to do so. Rita was very protective of Estelle. One could say it was because the pink haired princess was the genius mage's first friend, but he was pretty sure that there was more to it than that.

"How's the patient?"

"He ate a bit, and he's been asleep for a while now thanks to Estelle singing to him."

Raven smiled, a genuine smile, which was rare for him. Estelle and Yuri's sibling-like relationship was refreshingly sweet. It helped that it reminded him of a relationship that he once had. "Alright, ladies. I'll take care of things from here."

Estelle stirred a bit as Rita shook her gently. "Oh, Raven..." She smiled sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"You two go get some rest."

She nodded and stood slowly. He watched as they walked down the steps and toward the palace.

He didn't enter through the door. That sound would have woken Yuri up. Instead, he crawled to the roof, and climbed down to sit in the open window of his room. At least it wasn't raining tonight, and he'd be able to look at the coldly twinkling stars for a while.

The dark haired swordsman was sleeping soundlessly, curled into a fetal position. Normally he slept sprawled out spread eagle, but since the events in Yumanju, when he managed to sleep, he curled tightly into himself as if trying to disappear. It was painful to see how much the boy had changed in less than a week's time. He knew how it felt because he had been there, and it didn't sit well with him that another was now sharing his fate when he hoped no one else would ever have to.

Raven was lost in thought after not too long, thinking about this and that: the boy's condition, the previous year's events, his own mortality, Casey, and Alexei. There was scarcely a day that he did not think about that man at least in passing. The man who brought him back from death's door and who pulled his strings like a puppet for years afterward. He owed a lot to that man, and he hated him for it.

There came a creak from the bed and he turned sharply. Yuri had awoken, terror gleaming in his charcoal eyes, the little bit of strength that his body had welling just enough to nearly knock him out of the bed. He knew that this was not the kid's first nightmare. He had been there to witness his waking from several others. He knew those nightmares too. They might be different, but their cause was the same.

Yuri spotted him in the window, and tried to play it off, but he was panting heavily and drenched in sweat.

"Evening, Sunshine." That came out a little more sarcastic than he had intended. He was trying to be encouraging, but his attempts usually fell flat.

The dark haired man groaned and pulled himself up against the wall into a sitting position. His hair and clothing were soaked from the night terror. "What are you doing here, Old Man?" He was trying to be calm about it, but his voice trembled a little.

"Just takin' my turn keepin' an eye on ya."

Yuri nodded but kept silent. He was staring down at his hands, which lay limp on the bed.

"Need anything?" He had been through the very same things that Yuri was now struggling with, and he was still unsure on how best to help. No two people would deal with this trauma the same. He was not Yuri, and his dealings with this had been much different, along with the circumstances that followed. He only hoped that this would be easier on Yuri than it had been on him.

He shook his head.

There was a long silence between them.

"Nice busted nose you've got there," Yuri said. "What happened?"

Raven had almost completely forgotten about the fact that the Commandant nearly broke his nose in anger over Yuri's condition. "Lady decked me with a planter. All I was tryin' ta do was sneak a little peek." He was grinning. It was a lie, but Yuri didn't need to know that.

The dark haired man didn't question further. He picked at his shirt that was becoming plastered to him. "Hey, Old Man."

"Hm?"

"Would you..." he paused, "Would you mind helping me change?" That shirt could not have been comfortable, as cold and wet as it was.

That surprised him a bit. This was the first time he had asked for help from any of them. He hopped out of the window and dug around in Yuri's dresser for another shirt. There was only one left now. Looked like about time to do the wash. When he turned back, shirt in hand, Yuri had mostly been able to pull the sweat soaked one off. He was hunched over, one of his arms mostly hiding that thing that shamed him.

Seeing a blastia heart still made his own sink. Yuri's body was still adjusting to its replacement heart. The glow had softened, but still emitted light with each beat. The scars around it were no longer dark, but were still healing.

Raven tried to push those thoughts out of his head. He wished that he could have just one day when these things didn't haunt him. He held the shirt open and helped Yuri pull his obviously aching arms through it.

Yuri turned away, but he could tell that he was buttoning his shirt up slowly, his fingers struggling with the tiny buttons.

"Need some help?" he asked offhandedly. Even little tasks like this were difficult when your body didn't want to work with you.

He took a sharp breath. "Yes..." He turned back. He managed to get the bottommost button, but the rest of his shirt hung open haphazardly. He looked down and away. He didn't want eye contact, not that Raven blamed him. Everyone had seen Yuri's blastia heart, but it was not on his terms by any means. He probably hadn't shown it willingly to anyone yet. Well, with the exception of the Commandant.

Raven leaned in, and buttoned his shirt the rest of the way, careful not to look at or touch the curse on his chest. He stopped just underneath his heart.

"Keep going."

His weathered fingers did the last few buttons all the way up the shirt. Another sign of his shame.

"Did yours sicken you at first too?" Yuri asked softly, staring into the bed sheets.

"Mine still sickens me." Maybe it wasn't the answer he was looking for, and maybe it was a little harsh, but it was the truth. He moved back to his perch in the window. The boy needed some encouragement, which, when dealing with the current situation, was not exactly his forte. He struggled for the words to help. There had been no one there to help him through this time. There had only been Alexei, leering over him like some dark god. There had only been weeks in bed, the last moments of his previous life playing over and over again in his head. The war raging all around him. Blast after blast ringing through his ears, the cries of battle. He had been hit. The wound in his stomach was bleeding badly, and another hit was incoming. Casey stood in front of him, shielding him. His world darkened and she screamed.

He wasn't sure how long they sat in the heavy dark silence before he spoke once more. "It's hard for a while. But you're a tough kid. Tougher than Ol' Raven. I know that if anyone can live with it and overcome this, it's you."

He didn't know if that helped, but he could hope.

"Thanks, Old Man," he smiled halfheartedly, and lay back down.

"No problem, kid."

* * *

As much as he loved traveling, Dahngrest always felt like home to him. He had been born here, to parents that he didn't like to talk about. He had joined guild after guild here, struggling to prove himself, to be strong, and in the end had run from them all like a coward. Each failure only made the next attempt harder until he finally wanted to give up. But then he met Yuri Lowell, strong and sarcastic, but a nice guy. He was like the older brother he never had, not against picking on him, but always there to back him up. Yuri believed in him, even in the face of adversity. And now, he had to believe in Yuri.

He had been thinking for a while of a way to help. Standing vigil at his door and trying to get him to eat didn't feel like it was ever enough. He needed something else. What would Yuri do if their places had been reversed?

"Hey, Judith?"

"Hm?"

"I've been thinking about how to help Yuri get back on his feet."

She was staring up at the red-orange sky, but nodded to signal that was she listening.

"I think we need to get him on a training regimen!"

"That sounds like a great idea, Karol." She smiled and opened the door to their cramped headquarters. "What kind of things did you have in mind?"

Karol thought hard for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. "We'll have to start him out slow, and get him able to walk again, and then we can move it up from there. Maybe we could get someone really strong for him to duel with at the very end like a test!"

Asch and Luke were there eating dinner, and were surprised by their arrival.

"Boss!"

"We didn't know when you'd be back. We hadn't heard from you in almost a week," Asch said. Of the two, Asch was calmer, with long, dark red hair pushed back out of his face.

Orange haired Luke was a little more impetuous, but was just as eager as his counter part. "Where's Yuri?"

"Yuri..." Karol thought of how to explain it, but Judith came to the rescue.

"Yuri is back in Zaphias for the time being."

"That's right!"

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything's gonna be fine. Judith and I came to put a hold on the guild until we can get some stuff sorted out in Zaphias." He didn't want to give them too detailed of an explanation. They would have to be satisfied. Luckily, they didn't question him. They sent the two young men home until further notice.

Judith wrote out a note to leave on their door, briefly informing any who came by that the guild was not currently accepting jobs, but hoped to be back soon, and thanked them for their kind consideration. They stayed the night.

Karol was up all night, writing out a training plan for Yuri. It would start small, with Yuri just taking steps, and building up from there. He had an idea for how this would work, and who would be the final test after it was all over. In the morning, he would go over the finer details with Judith, and plan from there. They had to do something to help Yuri. He hoped that this would help. He was running out of ideas.

* * *

He woke the next morning at the conference table where he had been all night writing. A soft, green woolen blanket was draped over his shoulders and his papers had been moved off to one side of the table in favor of a small pillow for his head. It could only have been Judith, since they were the only two in the headquarters.

She rose a little while later, and he had already made breakfast. He was feeling a little more lighthearted as they ate together and prepared to head back to Zaphias.

"I'd like you to take a look at my idea for helping Yuri."

Judith took the papers that he had been writing all night, and looked over them for a few moments, nodding slightly every now and then. "This looks great, Karol. I'm sure this will help." She handed them back. "Who did you have in mind for the 'final test'?"

"I was really hoping to ask Flynn."

Her thin smile spread further across her face. "Why Flynn?"

"Well, he and Yuri have been friends for a really long time, and of everyone Yuri's ever fought, Flynn is closest to his own strength. He just seemed like a good choice." Did she think it was a bad idea? Did she have a better idea? It was so hard sometimes to read her thoughts past that confusing smile of hers.

"I think that you're right." She paused for a moment, looking skyward once more. Her crimson eyes became so distant all of a sudden. He noticed that this happened when she was talking to Ba'ul. "They do make quite a match." The way that she said that made it seem like she meant something else by it, but he wasn't sure what.

They left Brave Vesperia headquarters, locking up behind them.

"Let's talk to Flynn when we get back. I hope that he'll go along with it!"

"If it's for Yuri, I'm certain that he will," Judith replied. "But what are we going to do about Estelle? She wouldn't agree to this at all. Sweet girl wouldn't want Yuri to get out of bed."

Karol hadn't thought of that. "Yuri can't get better just sitting around. Do you think we could distract her with something?"

"How about we leave that to Rita?" There was that slightly devious smile again. "Ba'ul will be here soon. Are you all ready to leave?"

Just as he was about to answer, a girlish, slightly shrill voice came from behind them.

"Karol! You stopped by Dahngrest and you're leaving without coming to see me?!" It was Nan. She was visibly angry, although that seemed to be a default for her. Karol didn't mind though. He thought she was cute when she was angry.

"Uh, s-sorry, Nan!" He turned, his face red. "I've been really busy with important guild stuff and we were only in town overnight. We're heading back to Zaphias."

Her anger faded. She was a guild member too, so she understood what he was talking about. She boldly grabbed his hand. "When you get back into town, come and find me. Promise?"

"I promise!"

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Be safe." She turned, and ran off into the twilight-skied city.

He watched her go, his face redder than before. He rubbed his cheek agitatedly.

"Ba'ul's here. We need to get back to Yuri. After we go see Flynn."

He turned back to the entrance of the city. "Let's go!"


	22. Chapter 22 - Memories

Author's Note: Please remember that Yuri has many reasons for what he does and says, even if he only gives one of those reasons, or none of them.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Bandai Namco.

* * *

Chapter 22 – Memories

Food turned to ash in his mouth. He could only imagine how Yuri felt right now, hardly able to feed himself at all.

"Is something wrong, Flynn?" Ioder asked from across the polished wooden dining table.

He hadn't realized that he'd been picking at his food. "No, Your Highness."

"First, Estellise and now you. This wouldn't have anything to do with Yuri Lowell, would it?" The prince was young, only nineteen, but very perceptive. Did everyone in Zaphias know his feelings? It probably hadn't helped that he had of course told both Estellise and Ioder all the good stories about Yuri he had. There were a lot of them.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness." He had been very distracted lately.

"I know with the recent goings on, it's been a heavy burden on you. Why don't you take a little time to yourself and rest? We can't have the Commandant getting sick." Ioder had been to all of the Council's meetings, so he knew of the threat that was looming over the Empire. Alexei's followers were radical zealots and they still had so few details on what they were planning. It was known that they wanted Flynn dead.

Security in the castle had been increased. Flynn didn't fear for his own life, but instead the lives of Estellise and Ioder.

He didn't want to rest. He wanted to find Alexei's Word and bring them to justice. But he also longed to see Yuri again. It had been two days since he had seen Alexei's grim legacy carved into his friend. "As you wish, Your Highness. I'll take this evening off if that's all right. Thank you for your gracious concern." He stood from the table. "If you'll excuse me, Your Highness. I have drills I have to oversee."

Ioder only nodded, and watched him go.

It was still half an hour before drills began, but that gave him an excuse to loiter in his quiet state room for a little bit before that. He wondered briefly if Yuri had been thinking about him, too. About them. Probably not. Yuri was probably still filled with a mix of frustration and depression over his current weakened state. Flynn didn't blame him at all.

He turned the corner from the stairs toward his room and he spotted Sodia, marching stiffly toward him.

"Sir, that Krityan woman is here to see you again. And a young boy as well." Her face was a little red and she spoke with a bit of urgency and with a slight hiss. "It's about Yuri Lowell again." She didn't look at him as she said that, and as he was about to thank and dismiss her, she left prematurely, continuing her same rigid pace around the corner, and down the stairs.

It seemed a little odd of her, but he shrugged it off. She must have been just as tense about the current situation in the Empire as he was.

He entered his state room. Karol and Judith were sitting on his sofa. Karol was marveling about the fanciness of the room, in spite of how plain it seemed to everyone else. Judith was still and calm.

"Karol, Judith. What can I do for you today?" He sat down across from them.

"Actually, we need your help. Karol here came up with a great plan and it will require your assistance."

Karol blushed a little at the recognition. "I-I'm just trying to help Yuri."

"What can I do to help?" If it was to help Yuri, he was up for anything.

Karol and Judith spent a few moments going over their training plan for Yuri.

"We'll start him out slow, and then build him back up from there. We just need someone to fight him at the end like a test," the boy explained cheerfully.

"We were hoping that you'd agree, Flynn. Since you are Yuri's closest friend, and closest match in strength," Judith added.

He was instantly unsure of this. He normally wouldn't think twice about a duel with Yuri, but in his current state, he wouldn't be able to lift a sword. How could he fight his best friend after everything that had happened? He did like the idea of the training though. That was something that Yuri would respond well to. But fighting him in the end, even after all that training, was something that Flynn found harder to swallow.

"It'll just be a friendly little duel once he's back up to strength." She was urging him gently. She must have seen the worry over this idea cross his face.

"I would like a little time to think about this, if that's all right." He needed to be there for Yuri, in spite of how awfully he felt about it. Maybe this was for the best. He loved Yuri and he wasn't sure he was ready to fight him after all that had happened. Fighting was an important basis in their relationship, but this still didn't sit well with him. He would have time based on Karol's plan to find his own confidence while Yuri was training to get his strength back.

"Is that okay with you, Karol?" She seemed a little disappointed by his hesitation.

"I guess so."

"Thank you. I will let you know when I've made my decision."

"Okay! We're gonna start tomorrow." Karol was obviously excited.

"We're keeping this a secret, from both Estelle and Yuri," Judith stated.

Flynn looked at her in confusion.

"Firstly, Estelle would be completely against it, but the three of us agree it's for the best. He can't just lie around in his bed for weeks. Secondly, if Yuri knows that you're his final test after the training, things just wouldn't be fair. So let's keep this little discussion, and our plan, from them all together," she explained.

"That's right! Let's make this a surprise! Yuri's Super Brave Vesperia Ultimate Training!"

And so their plan was christened.

* * *

He knocked on the door as he always did. He knew that Yuri was inside, but it still felt like the courteous thing to do. This would be his last visit to Yuri before Karol and Judith enacted their plan to help him, and he had been curious to see how his friend had been fairing the past few days. It hadn't been long since his last visit, but he still left like he needed to know.

"Come on in." The voice from inside was Yuri's.

He opened the door slowly. The dark haired man was sitting on the bed as he had been for the past few days. Something was different though, and it made him break out into a chuckle.

Yuri's long, dark hair had been brushed and was braided to drape over one shoulder with a ribbon at the end. The ribbon only made him laugh a little harder.

"Stop laughing, damn it," Yuri said, a frustrated heat flushing his face. "It was Estelle's idea."

Flynn pulled the desk chair over to the bed and sat down next to him. "It just reminds me of when we were kids."

Yuri watched as he pulled a wax paper wrapped sandwich and an orange out of his bag.

"Sorry that it's not much. I figured it would be easier for you to eat." He unwrapped the sandwich and set it on the bed for him. He started to peel the orange, turning his thumbnail under the stem to pull away the thick skin. He looked up a little, and chuckled again when he caught sight of the long black braid trailing over one of his friend's lean shoulders.

Yuri shot him a stern glance and took a bite of the sandwich.

"Do you remember that time you sold your hair to that noblewoman?" Flynn remembered it well. Twelve year old Yuri had returned to their tiny room with messily chopped up short hair when it had been much longer earlier that day.

"Yeah. I haggled her from 100 gald to 500. Felt a little like highway robbery, but hey." He shrugged, the barest traces of a smile at the corners of his mouth. "I still don't know why you were so mad when I got home that night." He had been carrying a large bag of food and grinning like a fool.

Flynn had been furious, but now it seemed like a distant memory. It seemed like he should have never been that angry over something like that. "I was mad that you cut off your hair."

Yuri raised an eyebrow.

"You were stupid and cut it with a knife, so you ended up cutting the back of your neck a little. And... it was like you were sacrificing a piece of yourself to take care of us." Other things that Yuri had done in the process of keeping them fed had made him angry then, too.

"I guess that's why you were so pissed when that nobleman offered me 1000 gald to sleep with him." He leaned back against the metal bed frame, finishing off half of the sandwich. He said that like the thought of prostitution was nothing to him. "I remember that you yelled at me almost all night until you lost your voice. You said things like 'you're better than that' and 'you should never do something so degrading'."

Flynn had said those things. He had meant them, too. Even now he felt like those things were true. They were fourteen, still sharing a tiny room and a tiny bed, nearly starving, doing odd jobs around the capital to make ends meet. Yuri had been propositioned by a nobleman while shopping with their little bit of money in the Public Quarter. He had come home, and told Flynn about the encounter, and Flynn promptly flew off the handle about it. They argued all night. Yuri's argument was 'virginity doesn't mean much when you're starving'. It wasn't just about Yuri not degrading himself. Flynn didn't want anyone else to touch him. The thought of Yuri being with someone else tore him up inside then.

"You were so disgusted when I came back the next day and made a huge dinner for us. You wouldn't even eat. And then I said-"

"'You gonna to let my efforts go to waste?'" Flynn ended. He couldn't forget that no matter how hard he tried, the moment when he feared what Yuri had done in order to keep them from starving. He ran a shaky hand through his hair.

"I really didn't sleep with him, you know." Yuri had never told him what happened and how he got that money. He had only insisted that Flynn eat or he would never forgive him. He reached for the other half of the sandwich.

Flynn grabbed his hand. He just wanted to say it. "Yuri, I was so mad because I was in love with you. I've been in love with you for years."

* * *

Yuri tried to pull his hand back. "Flynn, don't do this." He was not ready to talk about this again, not that he thought he would ever be ready.

"Why?" His tone was the same it had been at the inn in Yumanju. It stung Yuri.

"I... I don't want to deal with this."

"Just give me a straight answer." He was calm and serious. Yuri didn't know if he could weasel his way out of this conversation as he had the one before. "Give me one good reason that we can't be together. I don't want another cop-out answer. I just want the truth."

He wanted to say that he just didn't feel that way about Flynn. He wanted to say it, but he couldn't. It wasn't the truth. There were a handful of other reasons, but that was not one of them.

"Yuri, I need to know."

"Flynn, can you just drop it?!" he shouted, rather suddenly overcome with anger. This was the first time he had been mad in days. The two things that he did not want to have to think about right now were his blastia heart, and his feelings for Flynn. And right now, both of those things were heavy on his mind.

The blond was silent and surprised.

Yuri wanted to continue hiding this, denying it, but he knew that wouldn't do any good. If he pushed Flynn away now, he would only bring it up again later. It would be a never-ending cycle, and he was going to stop it now. He didn't have the strength to lie anymore. "You want to know? Fine." He finally managed to pull his hand away from Flynn. He leaned, bracing his forearms against the bed, staring down. "This won't work, Flynn, because in the world that you create, there will be no place for someone like me."

"W-What?" He was dumbfounded. Of all the answers he had anticipated, that was not one of them. Disgust, dismay, attraction to someone else, brotherly feelings, any of those had crossed his mind, but not that one. "Yuri, that's not..."

"No. I would ruin you. I would end up being the destroyer of everything that we've worked for. You can't honestly tell me that you don't care. Whether or not you believe it, we're better off this way." His tone was flat and cold, like he was saying that to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Flynn. "We're better off this way. You're the one who won't let this go."

"No, I won't let it go. I refuse to live a life without you in it." He knew that Flynn really meant that when he said that.

"I've already dirtied my hands!" Yuri tried to swing at him. "I won't dirty yours too!" Before the punch connected, his heart seized in his chest, dropping his fist out of the air. His heart began to burn in his chest, its light glowing bright enough to be seen through his shirt. He clawed at his chest, trying to will his body to move, for his horrible mechanical heart to beat. All he managed to do was shake, as his body was seizing up.

"Yuri!" Flynn must have noticed the light, and grabbed his shoulders. He started to shake him slightly.

The heart beat again after what felt like an eternity, and he took a breath. The blastia was still glowing brightly, and started to pulse with each beat. He managed to push Flynn's hands away, still panting.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He was lying. His chest was on fire and his lungs ached. Just that little bit of exertion pushed his new heart too far.

"You're not fine. You're pushing yourself too hard." Flynn steadied him.

Yuri wanted to respond. He wanted to push Flynn away in anger once more, but all the strength had drained from him. He wasn't angry anymore. He just wanted to lie down and not think and not look at him anymore.

"Can I get you anything?"

Yuri looked away. "I'm tired of everyone treating me like I'm dying."

That's exactly what they had been doing. When he woke that day nearly a week ago, they had been standing around him as if at a wake. Now they stood vigil night after night as his door, bringing him offerings of food like one would leave for the dead.

"It just came as such a shock to everyone when this happened. We all looked at you as if you were indestructible. Everyone's just having trouble trying to figure out what to do." The blond always seemed to have the answers. That had always annoyed him. "I'm sure that soon you'll be back to normal. Things are going to be fine in the end. I believe in you, Yuri, and so does everyone else."

He leaned up against the wall, and stared out into the darkness of his tiny room.

"Do you remember that time when you broke into the Cumore orchard?" Flynn was changing the subject, but he was okay with that. "You climbed over their twelve foot high stone wall to sneak in and steal some apples."

"Yeah, I remember I had a sack full of them, but then they saw me."

"You ran, chucking apples at Alexander Cumore the whole time, and then Lord Cumore sent the dogs after you. They could have mauled you to death, but you somehow got back over that wall, battered and bruised, still holding an apple." The blond was smiling softly, staring down at his hands that he moved to his lap. "I was so worried then that you had been hurt really badly, but you came out with just a few scratches."

"How could I forget?" Cumore had been a life long enemy of his, and that incident had started it all. He had snuck in to grab some apples because they were near starving then. Life in the Lower Quarter had been tough, and those apples looked so delicious to a child's hungry eyes. He only managed to make it out with a single apple, panting, and nearly collapsed on the other side of that towering wall. He held it out to Flynn, who really just looked so glad that he was alive. He chuckled a little. "It was worth it."

"What about that time you went swimming in the creek naked in the middle of the winter? You had a fever and you were delirious and trying to cool off. You could have caught pneumonia, but instead you just had a little cold."

"Hey, you had your fair share of trouble making too."

"Name one time."

"You stopped that drunk from hitting his wife, and then he beat you up instead. You tried to tell the Knights, but they wouldn't listen, and you came home black and blue. You couldn't walk for two days, he beat you so bad."

These memories were pleasant, even if they were from a rough time in his life. He really had been nearly invincible once. They had to fight to survive, but they managed together.

"Do you remember that race we had through the Public Quarter? We ended up running into a Knight and getting chased back into the Lower Quarter. We had to hide in the cellar of The Comet until he went away." Flynn reached over and touched one of Yuri's hands gently.

He wanted to pull back, but he did not. It was that strange comforting feeling again, that feeling that he always had when Flynn was near. He was set in his feelings, in his convictions, but that touch made his resolve to his position waver just a little bit, just enough for him to want to think twice about it. He had thought his feelings over a thousand times, and always ended up coming to the same conclusion. This would not work. There was nothing that could change his mind.


	23. Chapter 23 - Steps

Author's Note: While writing this fanfic, I had a lot of trouble dealing with a roommate who didn't believe that I could finish this, as I am notorious for not finishing anything. This chapter was really a turning point for me, where I began to believe in myself in spite of her opinions and by the time I started writing this, I knew everything was going to be okay, and that I would definitely be able to finish this.

Thank all of you are have been reading thus far for believing in me too and being so kind. And a special thanks to my friend suspiciouspopsicle who never stopped believing in me.

/end personal note

In this chapter, things start to look up for Yuri who I treat terribly.

_Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai._

* * *

Chapter 23 - Steps

"Time to get up, sleepy head!" Judith called from the doorway.

Yuri opened his bleary eyes. It was bright daylight, and Karol was standing over him, smiling. He groaned as he tried to roll over.

"Come on, Yuri! It's a new day and we've got a surprise for you!"

Repede barked.

Flynn was gone, and he was somewhat relieved. "What's going on?" he asked, and sat up slowly. His chest still ached a bit from the attack he had the night before.

"We're gonna start training you!"

"What?" He was surprised.

"It was Karol's idea. We call it Yuri's Super Brave Vesperia Ultimate Training." Judith handed him a tray, smiling. It was a bowl of oatmeal, topped with fruit. "Eat up. You'll need your strength."

He ate breakfast, watching them in confusion. "So, what's this training going to be?"

"We're sure that you're sick and tired of sitting in bed, so today we're going to get you up and walking. If we go a little at a time, you'll be good as new in no time," Karol explained enthusiastically.

When he was finished eating, Karol helped him put his boots on. They felt so heavy on his legs. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and braced his feet against the floor. He tried once more to stand, holding on to the bed frame for support. His legs tried to fold underneath him, but he held steady. He wobbled, trying to balance his weight on his aching feet. After a moment, he was able to hold himself up. He took a small, cautious step forward across the floor, like a baby learning to walk again.

"You can do it, Yuri!" Karol cheered.

He took another step, moving his hands to the dresser to keep a hold on something. He moved around his whole room in a circle like this, until his feet and legs felt a little more used to moving around again. They still ached, and his heart was pounding hard. It was over an hour that he circled his room until the pain eased a bit.

"Ready for the next step?" Judith asked.

"I think so," he replied, following her to the door.

She opened the door, and he stepped over the threshold for the first time in over a week. The air outside was cool, crisp, and he could hear the bustle of the Lower Quarter all around.

"Next up, you're going to take the stairs down."

He was unsure about that. He imagined his legs collapsing beneath him and falling face first onto the cobblestone road beneath. He scooted to the stairs and took a deep, preparatory breath. He took the first step shakily, one of his hands moving to catch the railing. A long, furry back slid underneath his fingers. It was Repede. He looked up at him, and wuffed. As he took each step, the dog helped steady him by walking alongside of him. Down the steps he walked, one at a time until he reached the bottom.

The sun was warm on his face and back. It was nice being outside for the first time in more than a week. He looked up toward the castle. The road that he once walked with such confidence hadn't changed, but it felt different. It seemed longer than ever, winding through the Lower Quarter, and up toward the Royal Quarter. The distance that separated that place and the Lower Quarter was something that he had been able to walk in minutes, and then scale those castle walls like it was nothing. Now that distance seemed immeasurable.

Yuri took his time looking around. He took a deep breath, cool autumn air filling his aching lungs. Nothing out here had changed during his week in isolation, but everything felt so different.

"Alright, Yuri!" Karol called from the top of the stairs, fist raised as if cheering for him.

"Now it's time to head back up." Judith was standing there too, watching him react to everything around him.

He turned, and prepared to mount the steps on the way up. The stairs to his own room had never seemed so daunting, but this was a task that he had to overcome. The walk down had not been as bad as he expected, but the walk back up would be another matter. This was a literal first step on the road to his recovery.

* * *

"Hey, Rita, can you wait here really quick?"

"What's going on, Estelle?"

"I'm just going to get us some tea." She was lying, but Rita didn't need to know where she was really going. She wasn't the best liar, but Rita didn't seem to notice. She would indeed return with tea, but she had another mission.

"Oh, okay." The brunette turned back to the book that she had reading.

They had been exploring the palace library most of that day. It was a huge room, lined with dozens of bookcases filled with what seemed like millions of books. Even in her whole time in the palace, Estelle hadn't made it through even half of these books. They were here, but she was still worried about Yuri. She was really trying her hardest not to worry and to have a good time with the mage.

Estelle left the library quietly and headed up a level toward her own quarters, as well as those of Ioder and the Commandant. She really hoped that Flynn was in from his duties. She knocked gently. She hoped that she wasn't disturbing him. She heard his armored footsteps approach the door. How was she going to explain this to Flynn?

"Lady Estellise, what can I do for you?"

"Can we talk for a moment?"

"Of course." He let her into his state room.

She didn't bother to take a seat. Standing would do just fine for this task. "Have you been down to see Yuri?" She hadn't seen much of Flynn in the past several days since she had been so busy attending to Yuri as often as the others would allow her.

"I stopped in to see him last night." Flynn's tone was heavy with worry. "I have to admit, I've never seen him so depressed before."

She thought to herself that Flynn really never did stop worrying about his oldest friend.

"I hope that he'll feel better when he hears that he has an admirer," she smiled slightly. She knew how Yuri had been feeling lately. It was no secret after he yelled at her, and with the things that he had thrown in an attempt to release his frustration over being bedridden. She didn't blame him for his anger, though. After what happened, it seemed natural. She only wished that she knew what else to do for him. Her healing artes only went so far.

The blond looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean?" He tugged a bit at the collar of his uniform.

"I think that maybe Sodia has a crush on Yuri," Estelle explained. "You see, when I stopped by the other day, Sodia was leaving and she was blushing. She seemed really nervous."

Flynn stroked his chin a bit with one hand, looking up. "I suppose that that makes sense. She does seem flustered every time his name is mentioned."

"I was thinking about telling him, but I'm not sure how he'd react."

"I think that it should wait." His reply came quickly. "He really doesn't need to be worrying about anything else right now. It's something that can wait until he's back up on his feet."

"You're right," she smiled. Yuri was too busy healing to be bothered with such things. She wasn't even sure how he would react to being told something like Sodia having feelings for him. He didn't seem to care much for her, or really for anyone else in that capacity. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

"Oh, it's no bother." He smiled a little, but she could see how tired he was.

"Please don't strain yourself so much, Flynn. I know that you're just as worried about Yuri as the rest of us."

"Thank you, Lady Estellise."

"If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to Rita."

She left Flynn's state room and headed down to the kitchen. The maids were surprised to see her, and offered to take tea up to the library, but Estelle insisted that she could take care of it, and thanked them. She did ask that they take something strong to the ever busy Commandant to keep up his morale.

She carefully carried a tray back up to the library. If she was gone much longer, Rita might begin to suspect that she had not been completely truthful if she weren't too absorbed in her book to notice. Luckily, as she entered the room, it looked as though Rita had not budged an inch. She was still sitting on the carpeted floor with a large book open across her crossed legs.

Estelle set the tray down gently on a table, but Rita did not move. Perhaps she didn't hear her. She must have been terribly interested in the contents of that book. She took a few quiet steps toward the brunette, and leaned down over her shoulder, her face so close that their cheeks were almost touching.

"What are you reading?"

Rita turned quickly to the side, startled. Estelle could feel the barest brush of the mage's lips against her cheek before she pulled back, her face flushed in surprise.

Her heart was pounding and her own cheeks grew warm.

"E-Estelle! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I'm sorry. I brought us some tea." She smiled, and tried to steady her slightly shaking hands by sliding them behind her back as she stood straight up. She hurriedly went about fixing them each a cup of tea. It was an effort for her to not drop the teapot.

It felt as though something strange and warm was churning in her stomach. It didn't make her feel sick, but instead happy. What was this feeling?


	24. Chapter 24 - Resolve

Author's Note: Another short chapter. I'm really glad I got to play with so many of the side characters from Tales of Vesperia.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 24 - Resolve

"You've got to be kidding me," Yuri sighed, stretching his weary body. He had been up out of bed for almost a week now and this training plan of Karol and Judith's was looking more and more dubious. His legs still hurt, but he was able to walk again without stumbling or needing any assistance. He had even managed some jogging for a few days in a row, but this was ridiculous.

"I say, we're none too happy to be paired off to help you train!"

"This will be most unpleasant for all of us!"

He looked to Judith, who was grinning from the entrance to the Comet. "Are you guys serious about this? Do the Knights really have time to be chasing me around Zaphias?" If Flynn knew, there would be hell to pay.

"I say, that's uncalled for!"

"We figured you'd at least get a little challenge out of this. A long run will be good for you."

It had been some time since he'd run from the Knights, and his body was aching to get back into a little vigilante action. He was really just glad to be out of bed. Complain as he might, this prospect was still better than laying in bed.

"Here's the rules!" Karol chimed in, coming down the steps from Yuri's room. "Adecor and Boccos, you're going to chase Yuri around the capital. If you catch him, you have to bring him back here and Yuri will have to try again. Yuri, if you manage to get back here before they catch you, then Adecor and Boccos will have to admit defeat."

"Sounds like a plan to me, boss."

"Everybody ready?!"

Yuri smirked at the two Knights over his shoulder. "Tweedle A and Tweedle B, catch me if you can!"

"Go!"

And they were off.

He panted. Running was really taking it out of him, but he was really just glad to be up out of bed and able to be on his feet at all. He had managed to lose his apparent training partners, Adecor and Boccos. He could hear them yelling behind him somewhere, and he didn't think stopping would be a good idea, so he kept going.

At some point, Yuri found himself in the palace gardens. How he had gotten there, he wasn't sure. He slowed to walk and kept to the bushes, avoiding the palace windows. If Flynn saw him, he'd get fussed at. He also had to keep out of Estelle's view, or there would be similar consequences. Neither knew about the training regimen that Karol, Judith, and Repede were putting him through, and for the better, since they would have never allowed it.

After a little while, when he no longer heard Tweedles A and B behind him, he decided to turn around and head back to the finish line at the Comet. He tromped back through the bushes.

"What's that sound?!"

He peeked through the bushes to see Estelle and Rita having tea in the garden. His rustling must have alerted her. And Rita, who sat facing the bushes, spotted him.

"I-It's nothing!" Rita replied, and made a little motion with her head for him to get out of there quickly. "Probably just a wolf or something!"

Estelle jumped to her feet and Yuri yanked his head out of the bush and tried to put some distance between himself and the girls.

"Don't worry, Rita! I'll protect you!"

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, Estelle!"

He heard their voices fading away as he made his way to the gate.

The guard there shot him a look of suspicion, but said nothing. Never mind that his hair was full of leaves and branches and brambles. He shot the guard a smirk, and walked back down toward the Lower Quarter.

"I say, come back here, Yuri Lowell!" Adecor shouted, not far behind him.

He turned and they were right on his heels.

"Shit!" Luckily he had time to catch his breath in the garden. He moved back into a full sprint.

These two had never succeeded in catching him before and he wasn't about to let them now, even in his current state. He didn't want them to have anything to gloat over.

He flew down sets of stairs, and narrowly dodged ladies shopping in the Public Quarter. They were still only yards away from him. He had to make it to the Comet. It wasn't too far now.

Just in the distance, Judith and Repede were waiting by the entrance to the tavern.

"Looks like I made it here first." He started to slow down, but Repede jumped away from Judith and lunged at him, growling. "What the hell, Repede?"

"I think he's saying that you're not done just yet." Judith's smile seemed somewhat wicked.

Repede rushed at him, snapping at his heels in a way that he had never seen before.

"Cut it out!"

"You better keep running!"

Yuri turned back toward the path from which he just came. Adecor and Boccos were still in pursuit but they were no longer his concern. The warrior dog nipping at his heels was much more of a challenge. He lunged back into a sprint, followed closely by Repede, who was barking and snapping at him as he ran.

Back up through the Public Quarter and into the Royal Quarter they ran. Repede chased him all the way through town, not giving him a moment's rest. This was much more of a challenge than those two bumbling Knights.

By the time he reached the Comet the second time, the sun hung low in the sky and dusk was stretching over the city. He was panting even harder, his chest aching. The blastia was working very hard to keep his body moving, but at least it was working.

As soon as they reached the steps to their room, Repede stopped chasing him and bumped up against him in a friendly fashion. He yawned and padded to the top of the stairs, and looked down at him. He barked, as if telling his human to hurry up and get up the stairs. There was also a bit of praise in that bark, telling him that he did well today, and that the training was really paying off.

Yuri climbed the stairs slowly. His body was hurting from all the running, all the training that he had been doing over the past week, even though before his new heart, these things would have been nothing for him. Every little task was a strain, but he assured himself that it would get easier if he just kept doing it and didn't give up. He had to get stronger. He didn't want to lie around dying. He was ready to start living again. Even though his new heart was strange and hollow feeling, he needed to push himself to move on. Judith, Karol, and Repede were pressing him, and he had to press himself.

If Estelle or Flynn knew though, he'd never hear the end of it.

He was ready to stop dying and start living again.


	25. Chapter 25 - Interference

Author's Notes: Judith gets to chance to explain why she enjoys playing matchmaker in this chapter. I see the Kritya as being aromantic but not asexual, sort of like the Vulcans from Star Trek, but not exactly. Also, have some more Ristelle hints. More to follow, I promise.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 25 - Interference

As the days of training wore on, he became stronger. When being chased by Adecor and Boccos no longer proved a challenge for him, Repede was more than willing to take their place chasing Yuri through the streets of Zaphias. Each day he ran from the war dog snapping at his feet and barking at him to push himself harder. As the days passed, he realized that he was no longer being chased by the hound, but was racing him, and Repede was not holding back. His partner was a tough trainer.

One more lap around the Lower Quarter would be enough for today. His legs were aching from day after day of pushing the muscles to their limit, but at the same time, it felt good. His heart was choking up less thanks to the exercise, and he was really feeling his strength returning. He had been eating, happily consuming anything that the others had been bringing, although his nights were still fraught with nightmares. He was still having trouble sleeping through the night, but he was at least able to work out his frustration during the day.

As he rounded the corner that led up to the Public Quarter, he spotted a familiar bob of pink hair. Where was Rita when she was supposed to be distracting her?

"Shit shit shit shit!" If Estelle caught him, he wouldn't hear the end of it. Their plan would be null and void. He skidded to a stop, Repede right behind him. He spotted her too.

"Mind running interference?"

The dog wuffed, and padded in Estelle's direction.

As Yuri snuck around behind a building, he could hear her talking to the dog. She was amazed that he was letting her pet him, although not suspicious that he could be trying to distract her. Good.

He crept his way back to the stairs that led to his room, and didn't look back. He opened the door quietly (the damn thing creaked every time), and slipped back into bed, throwing his boots beside the dresser where they had been that morning. His heart was still pounding from the run, and resting right afterward was ill advised, but there was no choice at this point.

After a few moments, he heard her delicate feet on the wooden steps heading up. She knocked on the door.

"It's open." It was never locked. He may not have wanted the others in the room with him, but only the door proved a barrier to them.

"Hi, Yuri. How are you feeling?"

"Better today, thanks."

"I'm really glad to hear that." She pulled up the chair from his desk to sit down beside him. She seemed a little nervous.

"Something wrong?"

"Ah! No. Everything's fine." She forced a smile.

"You're a bad liar." Funny how most of the people he knew were.

She pursed her lips, a bit of frustration showing through her cheery exterior. "Yuri, can I ask you something personal?" The pink haired girl wasn't looking at him, but instead at her fidgeting hands.

"Sure, why not?"

"Do you have someone who's special to you?"

Immediately his thoughts drifted to Flynn, but he pushed those back. "Not really. Why?"

"Because, well..." A pink flush spread across her cheeks. "I was just wondering because I'm... I'm having these strange feelings when I think about a certain person and I really don't know what I should do."

Of course Yuri knew she meant Rita. The two of them were almost inseparable. Were Estelle's feelings for the mage finally blossoming into something more than friendship? It had been obvious to everyone else, except Karol, that the genius mage had been harboring a crush on the pink haired princess.

He ruffled her soft, neatly combed hair a bit. "Just be honest with them and yourself and everything will be fine." If only he could stomach to take his own advice. There were reasons it wouldn't work with Flynn, although over the past two weeks, he felt his belief in these reasons slipping away from him.

She smiled at him. "Thanks, Yuri. And I'm sure that there is someone out there who feels the same way about you."

Did she know about Flynn's feelings for him? They were apparently obvious to most people, but Estelle was a little denser than that. When they first met though, she did say that Flynn had told her all sorts of stories about him and about their childhood together.

"I'm really glad that you're finally starting to feel better." She stood, and then leaned down to hug him. "Thank you so much for your advice." She turned and left without another word, but a backward glance and a soft smile.

"If you were only so good at taking your own advice." Judith walked in only seconds later. At least he didn't have to pretend to be bedridden around her.

He shrugged. "I just can't take my own advice seriously."

"I really don't know why you're still denying yourself this."

"I don't know why you're so interested in playing matchmaker."

"It's because I find human romance so interesting. We Kritya don't have anything like it." She sat down in the wobbly wooden chair where Estelle had been only a moment ago.

He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"The concepts of long term bonds like 'love' are foreign to us, except when it comes to our children or parents. We don't form bonds with others in a romantic fashion."

"So how do little Krityans come about?" Half of it was interest, the other half was keeping her off the topic of talking about his own romantic interests.

She smiled and leaned back. "Our mating is much different. We don't get married. Many of us never see our chosen partners again after the mating."

"So... what?"

"When a Krityan deems it their time to breed, around the age of 25, we return to the homeland of Myorzo, and select a mate from among the others, usually based on strength or intellect. Once the ritual is complete, we continue about our lives until the child is born, and then we decide which of the parents should raise it. Most commonly, females raise their own children, but I was raised by my father, which is not unheard of."

"Um, wow."

"So maybe I'm a little envious that I'll never get to be 'in love'."

Yuri wasn't quite sure how to respond.

"It's fine though, because that means that we don't sit around, pining away for the person we care the most about, and convince ourselves that we're not good enough for them." That was a jab at him, and he knew it.

"I've never _pined_ for anything in my life." That was a lie, and she knew it.

"You've never longed to see him or just be near him? You've never felt like a dying man in paradise when he was near? You've never needed him like sunlight? Like air? Or other such romantic notions as that?"

"I don't have a romantic bone in my body."

She giggled, soft and clear. "That may be true, but I have noticed that you always seem to be feeling better once he's been for a visit."

"I'm only relieved because he's gone and can't nag me."

"I wonder if you're better at lying to yourself than you are to me." She shifted a bit in the chair, folding her arms over her ample chest. "You said it yourself in Yumanju. It's not that you don't love him, it's just that you don't want to 'tarnish the Empire's golden boy'."

He didn't want to talk about this. He was out of excuses to give her and Flynn.

"One day, when you're ready to admit this, he could be gone, Yuri. Take your chance before it's too late." After a long moment of deafening silence, she stood. "I'm going to let you get some rest." She strode to the door and looked back at him for just a moment, those crimson eyes full of knowledge.

As much as he didn't want to talk to her about this anymore, or talk about anything to anyone, he didn't really want to be alone, either. That would only give him more time to think about the things that he really didn't want to be thinking about. Even so, he didn't stop her from leaving.

He lay down. He wasn't sure how long he just lay there, rolling around in the sheets, trying to get comfortable. The only thing keeping him in bed was the thought that Estelle could be back anytime now and if she knew about his training, it wouldn't be good. Then Flynn would know, and then it really wouldn't be good. They would be posted by his side all hours of the day to ensure that he did not leave the confines of his stuffy bed.

* * *

He couldn't understand Yuri's reasons. Well, maybe he could, but every time he said them to himself, they sounded hastily assembled and half thought through. They sounded more like excuses. Although he hadn't admitted it, Flynn felt that Yuri loved him. He had to love him. Why else would he make up excuses to not be with him? Why else would he have kissed him, and allow himself to be kissed? It would have been as simple as 'sorry, Flynn, but I don't feel that way'. If that were the case, maybe he could have moved on.

"Is this a bad time?"

He turned briskly, hoping that it was Yuri, but it was not.

"No. Please come in, Judith."

The Kritya seemed to be playing matchmaker lately, but he didn't really mind. Maybe she could convince Yuri that his reasoning was faulty. Yuri would not 'ruin' Flynn. Did he think that the Commandant didn't have any integrity? Although, the other excuse weighed heavily on his mind. 'In the world that you create, there will be no place for someone like me'. That wasn't true. Flynn had never thought about the future without Yuri in it.

"Something on your mind?" She could read him so easily.

"Just Yuri."

"If it makes you feel better, his training is going very well. He's out of bed and even running. He was able to use his sword for the first time today. He's progressing faster than we thought, and he's working hard for it." Judith had stopped by daily to inform him of the status of Yuri's training.

"I'm glad to hear that."

"But that's not your main concern, is it?"

"No. I'm very glad that he's doing so well. It's been weighing heavily on me."

"You're as bad at lying as he is. I think it really hurts him, you know."

"What does?"

"To feel the way he does about you and still feel like he has to push you away."

Had he told her about these things or had she discovered them for herself? It was hard to tell with the Krityan as she was very observant, but also seemed to be able to easily get the information that she needed out of people.

"Pardon...?"

"Yuri once told us 'Flynn can do anything, even change the world', because he knows that he can't. For him, you're like the sun, a light for this world, and he's a star, a distant spot in the night, illuminating just a tiny bit of darkness. But every star fades out eventually. Even Brave Vesperia will one day vanish."

Those feelings rushed him like the heat of battle, all encompassing, smoldering, smothering. An apprehensiveness crept over him, churning the contents of his stomach and causing his head to spin. Flynn steadied himself against the windowsill. Anything he could think to say was drowned out by his endless stream of thoughts. He wanted to ask her what she meant, but he already knew what those poetic words were supposed to say, and that was what worried him.

"Can you save this star from vanishing? He's too stubborn to admit it, but he really needs you."

"T-Thank you, Judith."

She smiled and left, shutting his door softly behind her.

He had to resist the urge to run straight down there to see Yuri. He was in no place to talk to him about these things. He also feared making Yuri upset again, and his heart seizing up as it had a little over a week before. He would think things through, and then go see him this evening, when he was able to think more clearly. He would talk to Yuri about his reasons, and try to make this work.


	26. Chapter 26 - Shadows

Author's Notes: I love how Yuri doesn't mince words, especially when he's talking to Flynn. By the way, I loved writing all of Yuri's nightmares. You may notice some reoccurring symbols that Yuri hasn't put together just yet.

* * *

Chapter 26 - Shadows

The sword that once felt so natural, so perfect in his hands felt heavy and awkward. The Second Star was by no means a poorly crafted weapon. It was superbly constructed, perfectly balanced, and sharp and never felt anything less than at home in Yuri's hand. It was the sword that Estelle had given him after he saved her from being taken over by her powers that were raging out of control at Alexei's hands, and it was his sword of choice.

"How does it feel to be holding a sword again?"

"Pretty good, boss." He swung it around a few times, as if trying to get a feel for it again. Even his first time using a sword didn't feel as unnatural as this did. He hoped that it was just his body's memory a little fuzzy from his time out of commission. He wanted to fix that soon.

"That's great! Judith and I set up some practice dummies for you to fight."

There was a small obstacle course of them scattered about the field. They were basic wood, but well crafted for practice dummies, each with a different face. They were the faces of enemies he had fought in the past: bandits, knights, Red-Eye assassins, etc.

"Ready... Set... Go!"

He sprinted toward the first of the dummies. He dipped and slashed upward, across its barrel chest, knocking it straight to the ground. He slowed his pace to catch his breath before going after the next one. Even this was a lot of exertion for him. Running had been one thing, but fighting was different. It required the use of all of his muscles, and it required him to think. Maybe these enemies were fake, but he had to act and react as if they were living. With each swing and each dummy downed, he felt a little better, a little stronger, and a little more confident.

By the time he downed a dozen of them, he was panting. His heart hadn't seized up yet, but it was working very hard to keep up. That seemed like a good sign.

"Now that you're done with the dummies, we've got a surprise."

Yuri looked past Judy, where Adecor and Boccos were waiting, weapons in hand. Oh, this was going to be good. He was ready to pay them back for chasing him through the city.

"Are you up for a real fight, Yuri Lowell?"

"I say, prepare to do battle!"

Of course he was ready for a real fight. Practice dummies didn't give him nearly enough of a challenge. Glorious sarcasm poured forth from his lips. "You said that I was done with the dummies, but I see that I've got two more behind you to take care of."

"I say, that is terribly rude!"

"You say that after all the help we've given you?!"

He knew that would be enough to get them riled up.

They charged.

Normally these two wouldn't be worth the effort, but he could use this battle to gauge his training results. If after only two weeks of training, they were little threat to him, then he was progressing well. If they provided him more than simple amusement, then he would have to keep pushing himself.

Yuri took a step back, drawing his sword up. First Adecor, since he had the reach that Boccos lacked even with his spear. The longer legs allowed the tall knight to move more swiftly, although he wasn't very adept at taking advantage of this. He parried, and while Adecor was stuck, he punched him in the stomach. It wasn't enough to do much more than knock the wind out of him, but it allowed Yuri to draw back a little and prepare for the next assault.

Boccos came at him next, spear at the ready but Yuri was able to easily leap over the low placed pole arm, hitting the miniature knight in the head in the process.

This continued for a while. He wasn't sure how long they fought, but it provided him enough of a challenge that he was left gasping for breath afterward. He was victorious, however. He prodded the two knights who lay battered and bruised on the ground with one foot.

"Good job, Tweedle A and Tweedle B."

"I say, what is a Tweedle anyway?!"

* * *

That field rolled out before him once more and he prepared himself for the worst. It was that same dream again, and as much as he fought to wake up, he was paralyzed. He didn't want to witness himself crawling out of the husk of Alexei and see Flynn's blue eyes and blood splattered hands. That dream still terrified him. But this was different.

It was not dusk this time, but instead the darkness of night, hanging over the field like a black-blue curtain. The white moon was high in the night sky, illuminating the world around him. The craggy mountains shone white from the moon, and Flynn was standing there once more. He knew where this was going. He feared where this was going.

Yuri tried to speak, tried to scream, anything, but nothing came out of his mouth. He looked down at his hands. They were his own, one gloved, the other with the golden, but empty, blastia bracelet on his wrist. That was a little reassuring.

His shadow stretched across the grass, but he knew that it wasn't his. Broad shoulders, perfect posture, shoulder length hair. In the dark face of that shadow were two glowing red eyes. He tried to take a step back, but the shadow pulled away first, oozing out of the ground like black slime. It wrapped tentacles around his legs, burning hot and slick, crawling up as he tried to fight back against it. He pulled at them, struggling in a panic to get them off, but they slithered further up to his waist, sliding slimy across his chest, pinning his arms against his body. He wiggled to get away, but it snapped him straight up, looking at the moon, as it crept up his neck and across his face, and slid hot and wriggling down his throat. It consumed him completely.

He was Alexei once more, and once more, Flynn was standing right it front of him, anger flashing in his eyes, one hand on his sword. Yuri didn't have control anymore. He couldn't stop the body that was already moving on its own. His broad sword was in his hand, pulled back, prepared to strike. Flynn rushed him, but he was faster, the arms that were not his filled with many more years of experience.

The sword slid through Flynn's armor and flesh easily, leaving him gaping, bleeding, eyes wide in shock. This horror was different than was previously in those eyes. The blood splashed against Alexei's face as he pulled the sword back out of the wound, and tossed it to the side, it's purpose served.

The blond dropped to his knees, gripping the hole in his abdomen, struggling and failing to stay alive. After only seconds, the lights faded from his eyes and he fell face down into the moonlit grass.

Yuri managed to pull himself out of the shadow that was Alexei, and was himself once more. He fell down, scrambling to Flynn. He stretched and fought off the tendrils still clinging to him, trying to drag him back into the shadow. He drug himself through the grass, reaching for Flynn's hand.

As soon as the metal gauntlet Flynn wore was beneath his fingers, Flynn was gone, and in his place, a pile of apples. Yuri threw them aside handfuls at a time, but each one that he touched turned sickly green and then black in his hands, rotting away. He dug through the pile, fighting to find Flynn at the bottom. He had to save him.

At very bottom, there was no Flynn, only a single, black, oozing apple. He reached for it, his hands shaking. It gave way under his touch, and then the slime pulled back. It was a blade, aimed straight for his heart. Before he could react, it lunged for the blastia in his chest and he was enveloped in shadow once more.

* * *

When he sat up it was dark. He wasn't sure when he had gone to sleep or what time it was now, but he didn't care. He just didn't want to sleep again. He let out a weary, slightly relieved sigh. He wanted to get out of bed, lest he end up asleep again. He didn't care if Estelle came in at this point and chastised him. He turned and set his feet on the floor, and his eyes caught another pair there in the dark.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

"F-Flynn!" He sounded more surprised than he had intended.

The blond was sitting at his tiny desk, with only a tiny candle for light. He had a knife in one hand, cutting an apple into quarters.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. You just startled me." Yuri tried to calm his breathing and his pounding mechanical heart. He wasn't worried about Flynn suddenly. He wasn't scared of that horrible dream coming true. He wasn't afraid of anything.

Flynn held one of the pieces of the apple out to him. "Here."

Yuri hesitated. His hand unwittingly reached out to grab it, but he flinched, drawing his fingers back against his palm. He wanted it. He wanted to touch it and see if it really did rot in his hand. He fingers brushed up against it, but nothing happened. He took it carefully from Flynn and held it in his hand, looking at it for a moment.

It seemed normal. Its skin was slick, blood red, and its flesh firm and white. It didn't turn black and rot away in his hand. He brought it to his lips and took a tentative bite. It didn't taste any different. It was cool and crisp and sweet. It made his mouth water slightly, relieving the dryness that it felt after the nightmare.

It was a moment before he noticed that Flynn was staring at him with a strange mix of confusion and worry. "Yuri, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He was still shaken, but his voice didn't betray that. He had been able to take better control of himself since starting his retraining, but Flynn still didn't know about that. And he'd rather they kept it that way. He finished off the apple. It settled his churning stomach a little. His stomach made a hungry warble at him. He must have slept through dinner. At least he was eating again, and holding it down.

Flynn chuckled, and handed him another quarter of the apple. "I'll go get you something a little more filling." He slipped out of the room.

He looked at that other piece of apple. Why was this unassuming fruit so common in his dreams, more so than almost anything else? The only thing that appeared with the same frequency was Flynn.

A few moments later, Flynn returned with a sandwich.

"How are things up at the palace?" He didn't want to think about those dreams. Any topic would do.

The blond groaned.

"That good, huh?"

"I don't understand what the Council is thinking. I try to make a move, any move, and there they are with some reason why I shouldn't or I can't. All this business with Alexei's followers... I can't do anything because they won't let me."

"So they're cockblocking you?"

"Yes." Flynn looked down at the floor in a sort of defeated frustration.

Yuri took a big bite of the sandwich, chewing and swallowing while he thought. "Flynn, you're the fucking Commandant. You know most of what's going on. Get them the evidence and then they will be forced to act."

He nodded a little.

"I'm not telling you to abuse your power, but just handle things without them until you can prove to them what's going on. Do what you need to do for the Empire." Being Flynn, though, he knew that he would continue to take the path of policy and rules, even though he now had the power to make rules and change policies. Yuri was counting on that. If the Commandant took nothing else from this conversation, he hoped that it at least gave him a little boost of confidence. "But that's not the only problem, is it?"

"I can't go into a lot of detail, since I'm still waiting on the report, but the colony of Vonael was destroyed."

That surprised him, but he continued to eat. "Well, two mysterious murders and then the whole colony gone, that's more than a little suspicious. Do you think that all this is connected?"

"I can't come to an informed decision, but I fear so. LeBlanc should be returning any day now, and I've sent another brigade out to investigate further. I'm hoping that LeBlanc can fill me in on some of the details."

Then this mechanical heart and these horrifying dreams could all be connected, too. He shivered a bit, thinking of his most recent nightmare. Would they get worse from here?

Looking at Flynn and thinking of what happened only made it worse, and he felt nauseous suddenly. He set down the half of the sandwich in his hand and leaned back in the bed. He didn't want to think about those dreams, but he couldn't stop. What if they weren't merely nightmares, but instead premonitions?


	27. Chapter 27 - Incubus

Author's Notes: We finally start to get the idea of what's going on in Yuri's head because of these nightmares, and we're not the only ones. I know there have been an awful lot of nightmares, but they have a purpose.

* * *

Chapter 27 - Incubus

For another night, the darkness of Alexei's shadow swallowed him. That cold, authoritative voiced whispered horrifying things in his ears, filling his head with lies and more darkness. He tried to fight it, but it was all encompassing, drowning out his reason and his ability to do anything. He had not felt the numerous hands grasping at him before, holding him back from movement, but he felt them this time. He didn't want to decide if they were better or worse than the shadowy tentacles that had preceded them.

It wasn't just a shadowy blob this time. He saw it take on Alexei's form, tall and imposing, commanding and cold. Yuri was caught in this shadow.

He watched the shadow of himself with the darkness that was Alexei standing behind him. He could feel the heat of the darkness pressing on him, threatening to consume him once again at any moment. He smiled darkly. He was a part of this shadow now. He was only acting as a puppet of this darkness.

Yuri touched the blastia in his chest. It was very hot at his touch and he could feel something slick coming from it and expanding into his hand. He wanted to drop whatever it was, but instead, he pulled back and looked at it.

It was the black apple. It trailed slime down his hand and in thin tendrils to his blastia heart. The mere sight of it sickened him, but he couldn't manage to drop it.

In horror, he watched as he extended the sickly black fruit out to Flynn.

A look flashed across the blond's face. It was a soft, happy smile the likes of which Yuri had not seen in some time. Without hesitation, he reached up and took the apple. Did it look like a normal apple to him? Could he not see it for what it really was?

"Flynn! No!" He cried out, but his mouth didn't move and the other man didn't hear. He could feel that twisted smile still on his face. He wanted to lash out and knock the apple out of Flynn's hand, but the shadow of Alexei held him so tightly that he could not budge.

The other man brought the dark apple to his lips and took a bite. As he chewed, his eyes widened, and he tried to cough. He was starting to choke. He dropped the bitten apple and clawed frantically at his neck, where the piece must have been swelling, sick and slimy in his throat. It was too late.

"Flynn!"

Flynn fell to his knees, gasping for air. It was to no avail. His face started to turn pinkish, then red as he choked, and finally faded into black as he hit the ground. His bright blue eyes dimmed, the life fading from them, dead, but still staring at him.

He was screaming as loud as he could, and his face was warm and wet with tears.

The darkness didn't let go. He couldn't break free as he had managed to before. One of Alexei's shadow hands moved across his chest, and lay over his hot, pulsating heart.

"It is too late now. We are bound together and this is something that you will never escape."

* * *

As he looked up at that dark window, he thought of how strangely his friend had been acting lately. Yuri hadn't talked about _why_, but Flynn suspected that it had something to do with his training and healing. He hoped that this small act might cheer him up a little bit.

Flynn wished he was as agile as Yuri was as he started to climb up to the ledge next to Yuri's window. He made a note to himself to do more agility training as soon as it was feasible. As evenly matched as they were in other areas, Yuri traded outright defense for agility and speed, and Flynn was the other way around. He knew that he was inflexible (and he wondered briefly, and heatedly, just how flexible Yuri was).

It took him a few agonizing moments of climbing to reach it, and he pulled himself halfway into the window. He saw Yuri sleeping, curled up in his bed facing the wall. He wanted to go over to him, just to check on him and make sure that he wasn't the one dreaming this time, but he didn't. He watched him from the window, as his calm breathing became more labored, and he started to twitch and move erratically. He must have been having another nightmare. This was not the first time in the past few nights that he had witnessed this. After everything that had happened that Yuri refused to tell anyone about, he wasn't surprised.

Yuri writhed in his sleep for a few moments, and just as Flynn decided to go and check on him, the dark haired man sat up, still facing the wall.

Flynn moved, accidentally knocking over the unlit candle on the desk beside him.

"Hey, Old Man."

He stiffened, and didn't speak.

"I... I don't want to talk about this, but it's affecting my everyday life and it has to stop. You and I both know that you're the only one who understands this." He took a deep, sharp breath as if gathering his strength. "I'm having these... horrifying nightmares... about Flynn."

Flynn held his breath, burning tight in his chest. Yuri must not have realized that he was here. He thought that he was Raven. He knew that he shouldn't be listening to this. This was Yuri's private business with Raven, but at the same time, he wasn't talking to anyone about this, and he _needed_ to know. He wanted to help, but he also wanted to bolt out that window and run back to the palace. Maybe if he stayed quiet, Yuri would continue without realizing it was him.

"I keep having this dream about being Alexei... The first time, Flynn cut me down and... I crawled out of Alexei's body. The second dream, I was swallowed by his shadow, and I stabbed Flynn... This final time, I pulled an apple out of my blastia heart and gave it to him and then... then he died. Fucking apples keep appearing, and I don't understand why... First he tried to give me one, then he was holding it, then he became a pile of them that rotted away in my hands, and finally... this shadow apple." Yuri was shaking a bit, hanging his head in his hands, and speaking just loud enough for Flynn to hear. These nightmares were bearing down on him. "I... I just don't understand..."

It did explain a little why he was so hesitant to take the apple from him a few nights before, but it did not explain why the symbol of the apple so important. If it was really such a simple piece of fruit, why would it be reoccurring constantly in Yuri's nightmares. But what was more disturbing, was the fast that Yuri had witnessed himself killing Flynn at least twice, and becoming or being part of Alexei in each of these dreams.

"You said that you dreamed of Alexei too, right? Was it anything like that?"

Flynn swallowed hard, as audible in the dark, quiet of the room as an explosion. He swung his legs silently out of the window and prepared to make good his escape.

"Old Man?"

The door swung open hard, hitting the wall beside it.

"Hey, kid! I brought ya some dinner. Figured ya might be a bit hungry," Raven burst into the room, carrying a steaming bowl, a broad grin scrawled across his face.

"Wait, if you're there, then who...?" Yuri started to turn toward the window.

As light flooded the room, Flynn was gone from the window and across the ledge. He didn't wait to find out if they noticed it was him. He really hoped that Yuri would just chalk it up to wind knocking over the candle, but when his throat resounded in the darkness, that would be harder to write off. He scrambled as quietly as he could over another rooftop and down toward the street.

His feet hit the stone road and he listened for just a moment to see if he could hear Yuri shouting or following him, or if Yuri had even noticed it was him, or a human at all for that matter. His heart was racing. He hadn't really meant to eavesdrop, well, he did. It wasn't his original intention, but it had turned out that way.

After a long moment of no sounds following him, he started back up the road to the palace.

He took his time walking, trying to get his heartbeat back in check. The night air was cold and burned his nose with each breath. Autumn was coming to a close, and winter would soon be upon them. He stared up at the clear night sky, and off in the north, Brave Vesperia was shining brightly. It took him back to what Judith said only a few days before. Yuri really was very much like that star, just as she said. One day, if he was not careful, he would fizzle out and be gone. Yuri, like the stars, was not a constant. There would one day be a world without him in it.

A sense of urgency filled his step as he continued through the Royal Quarter. He didn't want to think about a world without Yuri. He had never thought of a world without Yuri. He had confessed to him, but he needed to make it known that whatever world Flynn would strive to build, there would always be a place for him. He had never doubted that for a moment.

He was walking the halls of the palace before he knew it, and headed straight up the stairs to his room. It was dark and quiet and late. There was no one awake save the Royal Guards, who paid little mind to his entrance save a stiff salute. He slipped into his room quietly, locking the door behind him. He was too awake after everything to sleep, but lay down in his bed anyway. He must have been more tired than he thought, because after only a moment, he was asleep.

Before he knew it, he was a child again. Flynn knew this scene. He was standing by a staggeringly tall stone wall, looking upward to Yuri who sat at the very top. The dark haired boy was grinning like a fool, like he was prone to do in childhood.

"I'll only be a few minutes! Chill out and wait here."

His stomach hurt with hunger pains. It had been a while since he had eaten. "Be careful!"

Yuri only grinned wider, and slid down off the wall. Flynn heard his bare feet hit the grass on the other side. He climbed up to the top, wedging his fingers and toes into cracks in the wall, and draped himself over the top, holding on with his elbows.

Yuri moved quietly through the orchard below, to a tree that was heavily laden with ripe, red apples. Even the sight of them made his mouth water. He shimmed up to a sturdy branch, and started to pick a few, stuffing them in a ragged pack that he carried with him. He snapped apple after apple off the branches until the sack was filled to the brim.

As he was finishing, a boy came from the large house that was just beyond the orchard, shouting. He was a nobleman's son, very pale with periwinkle hair. Alexander Cumore.

"Get out of our orchard, you rotten, filthy little street rats!"

Yuri tossed an apple at him, hitting him in his forehead, and chuckled.

"Father!" the boy shouted.

Yuri's face turned ashen as he heard the baying of a dozen hunting dogs coming his way. He dropped out of the tree and was off running in only seconds. The dogs were almost on him, the boy Cumore behind them. He turned while running, chucking apples at them as he fled for his life. He managed to hit the boy again, and a couple of the dogs, but the pursuit continued. Yuri scrambled up the wall, dropping the pack, the dogs grabbing at him, snapping at his legs, tearing at anything that they could.

Flynn reached for him, fighting to get close enough to grab his hand and pull him over the wall. Their fingers touched only barely. He stretched further, finally grabbing Yuri, and helping him to the top of the wall. They both fell down onto the pavement below, Yuri on top of him. Flynn hit his head against the cobblestones, but recovered quickly.

"Yuri! Are you alright?" He shook him, near tears.

The dark haired boy was grinning through a cringe. His legs were bloodied from multiple bites, and he was scraped up and his clothing ripped. In one hand, he was holding something out to him. It was a single red apple.

The apple. Was this moment where that had started?

Yuri was an adult suddenly. Tall, pale and scarred, his hair long and dark as night, his eyes shining brightly, was Yuri Lowell. This was the person who saved the world.

Flynn stood; he was an adult now also. He also bore scars, although they were different, and his skin was tanned from days in the sun.

Yuri was still holding the apple out to him and suddenly everything made sense. This moment was everything. How could he have not realized it before? How could Yuri have not realized it before?

He took the apple. Yuri looked at him, eyes a little apprehensive as if afraid of rejection, afraid of what would happen next.

Flynn took a bite. It was sweet and delicious. He handed it back. Yuri took an unsure bite, but then smiled a little. Flynn caught his hand in his own, tangling their fingers together. He dreamed of them together again. Yuri's mouth tasted of the apple, and he was sure that his probably did too. The contact between them was maddening. This was his favorite dream, but also, he hated it. When he woke, he would be alone and his heart unfulfilled.


	28. Chapter 28 - Distractions

Author's Notes: In this chapter, almost no one suffered except for me from the cavities from writing the last few pages.

* * *

Chapter 28 - Distractions

It was late one night, about a week since he had received word about the destruction of the colony of Vonael, when Captain LeBlanc returned to Zaphias. He immediately went to Flynn to turn in a more complete report.

"What news do you bring me, Captain?" Flynn paced. He was trying not to, but the rhythmic click of his heels on the marble floor was helping to keep his thoughts together. He didn't want to show any sign of nervousness, but he knew that LeBlanc could be trusted to maintain his silence about whatever may be said during this debriefing.

"As I said in my report, Sir, I do have suspicions about the goings on. What I did not mention in my report is of a bit of a graver nature." He took a moment to steady himself. It must have been something important. "We found many of the villagers, but not in a state in which we could help them."

"What do you mean?"

"Deep in the forest, we found a grove of trees where it appeared as though most of the villagers had hung themselves."

Slowly, his fears were being realized. Raven may have been right. The whole colony may have been involved in something dreadful. It was looking more and more likely that they had indeed been of Alexei's Word.

"There were strange messages carved into their bodies and painted on the trees from which they hung." It must have been a gruesome site even for a veteran like LeBlanc. "When Captain Frings arrived, I showed him the area so that he could begin his investigation and I left him with half of my own brigade to provide backup.

Flynn nodded slowly, taking the information in. "I see... What is your opinion on the situation?"

"If I may, Sir... I think that the colony of Vonael was a front for Alexei's Word."

He didn't want to admit that it was a possibility, but he had already heard as much from Raven. Two people suspected this, and he was certainly beginning to believe it as well. The evidence was not yet overwhelming, but he hoped that the investigation and report to be filed by the Frings brigade would provide a clearer picture.

"The Council is going to call a meeting regarding this." For once, maybe he should take Yuri's advice. "We will discuss only what information you sent me in your report, sans the writing on the city wall. I don't want wild speculation floating around the Council until we have evidence. Is that understood?" The idea of withholding evidence didn't really sit well with him, but he had no idea of how far reaching in the Empire Alexei's Word was. Even those in the Council could be involved and he wasn't sure he wanted them to know how much information they had right now. It was, regrettably, not a lot of information anyway.

"I understand, sir."

Flynn sighed. Hopefully Frings would be able to pull through for him. LeBlanc had done his job, but the Frings Brigade was adapted for almost purely investigative purposes, so he had high hopes that they would have plenty of evidence forthcoming.

* * *

They gathered for breakfast once more in the dining area of the Comet. For about a week and a half now, Yuri had been on his training regimen and the results were proving to be more successful than they had initially thought. He was still upstairs asleep in his bed, resting up a bit after a long day of practicing on the wooden dummies that she and Karol built for his benefit. Today they would be moving up the lessons a bit and she thought after all his hard work, he deserved a little extra sleep. She would be taking him up breakfast after their morning meeting.

"It's so awesome that Yuri's already come this far!" Karol said between bites of a meat pie.

"I do find it a little odd that's he's doing so well after such a short time," Judith added. "Raven, do you have any idea why he's healing so quickly? It was only a little over a week ago that he couldn't walk and he could barely feed himself. Now he's up and sword fighting." She was relieved that he was getting better, but it was still puzzling.

"Well, if I remember correctly, the bearer of the blastia heart's emotional health does affect the blastia to a point. I mean, if the boy's happy, he's not gonna be super human or anything, but the fact that he seems to be overcoming the emotional trauma is aiding his body's recovery. It looks like he's ready to move on." He wished that he'd had such good friends when dealing with his own change of heart eleven years earlier, but the people he called friends now were all children then.

"So his emotions directly affect the rate of healing...?" Rita looked up briefly from her book, stroking her chin with interest. "Tell me more, Old Man!"

"Not much more to tell. As long as he keeps up his 'cheery' demeanor, I think he'll be fine. I'm sure that it's been stoppin' less and all that."

"What about his nightmares?" Judith had not witnessed them, but she knew that they were happening. She knew that Raven had spoken with Yuri about them, but he had not revealed any details. She wasn't sure if Raven would tell her anyway. He probably would have kept Yuri's confidence if he did know.

"Hate to say it, but those might never stop. It'll all depends on how easily he can overcome this." He still had nightmares. Then again, the circumstances of his recovery were less than ideal. His heart was one of the earliest models, and it had not been weeks, but instead months, before he was back to even a small semblance of his original strength. When he told Yuri that he was tough and could overcome this, he wasn't just saying that to be comforting. It was true.

Rita stood, snapping her book shut and placing it in the harness at the small of her back where it usually rested. "I better get going then. Estelle will be up any time now."

"Remember, we'll be outside Zaphias today. We're going to start him on some live opponents. Try to keep her to the Royal Quarter if at all possible."

"Got it." She made her exit and trudged past the windows toward the palace where she had been spending most of her time lately. She didn't complain though, and Judith and Raven were pretty sure they knew why. She was hard pressed to find an excuse why she shouldn't be the one to distract Estelle.

* * *

"I'm sorry about the wait, Rita. How do I look?" What she wore today was the same as her usual traveling clothing, so the outfit came as no surprise. It was white, with petal shaped pink and plum colored skirts gathered up at her waist, and trimmed in gold with practical black pants underneath.

Rita's face flushed. No matter what she was wearing, Estelle was always adorable. Why did she even bother asking? "Y-You look c-cute... Now let's go!"

"Thanks." Her smile was warm and disarming. She never knew quite what to do when Estelle smiled. "You look really cute today, too!"

Of course, that only made her blush harder. Rita wasn't wearing anything special. It was her normal outfit. She shook this off.

It was her mission to keep Estelle away from the exits of Zaphias and out of the Lower Quarter today so that Yuri could train. It was a mission that she really didn't mind. The others were relying on her, but that was not what she cared about. She was secretly glad to be spending time alone with Estelle. She would never admit that to the pink haired girl or the others, though.

"So, what are our plans for today?"

"I was hoping that we could go for a picnic outside the city. There's a really lovely little spot by the river that would be just perfect for it."

Shit shit shit. Yuri was training outside the city today, fighting monsters in that very area. That wouldn't work. She needed an excuse and fast.

"I-uh I don't think that's such a good idea." She tried to sound a little harsh, but then softened as she often did while talking to Estelle. She couldn't help it. "It looks like it'll rain today."

"Oh." She looked saddened by this.

"Why don't we just do it in the garden? That way if it starts to rain, we'll be able to get back inside quickly." Rita wasn't completely lying about the rain. It looked cloudy this morning during her walk to the palace from the inn were the rest of the party was staying, and the weather on Ilyccia could be fickle.

"That's a great idea, Rita! The rose garden is really beautiful this time of year." That cheered her right up. "Let's just go down to the kitchen and pick up lunch."

Rita didn't like being in the castle. It was cold and seemed so devoid of life. This might have been how Yuri felt when coming to see Flynn. No wonder he preferred to enter through the garden window. It was only when she was with Estelle did the whole castle seem brighter and a little more lively. That must have been why everyone thought her to be a delight to have around. Rita didn't really like going on feelings. She preferred facts.

They stopped by the kitchen on the bottom floor of the castle for a moment.

"I'll be right back."

"Alright." Her response was disinterested.

Estelle went into the kitchen, where the staff resounded how surprised that they were to see her there and let her know that if she had need of anything at all, she only needed to call. Since the adventure a year before, she seemed to be relying less on others and taking more things into her own hands. She was still given things. She was still a princess, but she knew how to fight for what she believed in and knew that she could rely on herself.

"Lady Estellise, are you certain that you wouldn't rather we make lunch and just bring it out into the garden for you?"

"No. This is for someone special. That's why I made it myself."

Her face felt warm again. Was she talking about Rita as 'someone special'? Could it have been that maybe Estelle felt the same about her? She shook her head. No. Yuri was the most important person to Estelle. She never stopped thinking about him, always worrying and wondering how he was doing, especially lately. Yuri, however, had never shown anything more than brotherly feelings for her or anyone else. Yuri must have been like a knight in shining armor for her, like Flynn was. Someone who took her away from the palace and out into the world on a grand adventure. Someone who let her make her own choices without pressuring or influencing her. And Rita was sure that he was going to break poor Estelle's heart, whether he meant to or not.

Rita did have one thing working in her favor. She was Estelle's first female friend. And really, Estelle was her first friend too.

Estelle came back out of the kitchen carrying a big wicker picnic basket and Rita pretended that she wasn't eavesdropping on the conversation. "Let's go!" She said cheerfully, and without batting an eye, slipped her hand into Rita's and nearly skipped off down the hallway with the mage in tow.

She relished the feeling of her singed fingers and work worn hands being grasped in Estelle's, which were ever soft and delicate. Her fingers were pressed tightly against the mage's palm, leaving warm imprints on her skin. Any touch she could get she would accept without complaint, even if she often pretended not to enjoy it.

The two girls plodded into the garden, down a long set of stairs, and into the large, circular area full of rose bushes. At the very center was a sparkling fountain and a ring of blooming rose bushes around it.

Estelle let go of her hand, and Rita pulled it back, curling the fingers tight into her palm, trying to maintain that warmth for just a few more moments. The pink haired girl pulled a blanket out of the basket and spread it out on the ground and started to unpack the contents. Rita sat down and watched, not sure what else she was supposed to do. She was handed a few things, which she set out numbly. Finally, Estelle sat down next to her with a smile.

"I made us some sandwiches and fried chicken, and croquettes and a salad. And then there's parfaits and we've got tea."

"Y-You made all of this?" It was an impressive display.

Estelle nodded, her hands folded in her lap.

"When?"

"When Karol came to take over watching Yuri for me last night."

How long had she been up last night making all of this food? These things seemed simple, but Rita, in spite of her novice as a chef, knew how long it took to cook.

"Thank you," was what she was able to say.

They ate and chatted a bit about the garden, which Rita didn't really care much for, but since Estelle was so enthusiastic about it she listened anyway. Anything to keep her from going to check on Yuri. Granted, Rita was worried about him too, but she knew that he would pull through just fine with training and without them doting on him every moment.

"I'm really glad we've gotten to spend time together lately." Estelle's warm hand found its place on hers again.

That warmth filled her body, flowing from Estelle's hand, spreading up her arms and into her neck and chest. "I-uh... I am too." She was being honest. Her breathing felt unusually heavy, and her face felt very hot. And why had the pink haired girl suddenly gotten so close to her? Had they been sitting only inches apart this whole time? It seemed like she moved, but Rita couldn't be sure.

A shiver ran up her spine as Estelle leaned over and put her head on the mage's shoulder, nearly nestling in the crook of her neck. At this distance, the princess certainly could have heard her heart rattling around in her rib cage. Their hands were still touching. She only just noticed that Estelle's fingers were moving gently over the back of her hand. Rita's normally clear and perfectly organized thoughts were scattered about like nothing before. She had felt these feelings for Estelle for a long while now, since shortly after their journey-founded friendship. Every time she thought of Estelle, her chest felt was filled with this strange swell and she was so terribly confused. She had never had a strong bond with anyone before, never having any family or any friends before Estelle.

"Rita?"

Every time Estelle said her name it just make the confusion worse. Her ears longed to hear it. No one ever said her name quite like she did. Soft and clear.

"Wha.. I .. uh... Yes?" It took so much strength just to say that.

Estelle pulled back just a little bit, and those bright green eyes looked at her. She was still close enough that she could feel the princess's breath on her face. She was blushing, and Rita was sure that with all the heat coming from her face, she must have been too.

"Would... would it be alright.. if I kissed you?"

Rita tried to swallow the hard lump lodged in her throat that kept her voice from coming out. She knew she was moving her lips to try and answer. After a few seconds, she just managed a small nod.

The pink haired girl closed her eyes and leaned in, clasping her hands tightly, nervously. Those soft lips pressed against her own and pulled the breath straight from her lungs. Rita stared in surprise for a bit before finally realizing that she was supposed to close her eyes also.

She didn't want this moment to ever end.


	29. Chapter 29 - Revelation

Author's Notes: Now that our little bit of Ristelle, let the suffering continue. Also, you might recognize the name Aslan Frings from Tales of the Abyss. Yeah...

Sorry for all the spam about this chapter. I've been having some trouble getting it to work. Hopefully it's fixed now.

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 29 - Revelation

"What can you tell us about the incident in the Imperial colony of Vonael, Captain LeBlanc?"

LeBlanc was no doubt nervous to be in front of the Council, but he cleared his throat and prepared to speak. Flynn had prepped him rigorously for this. He was not to reveal too many details, just enough to not seem suspicious. There were things that Iskar and the Council did not yet need to know. Flynn wasn't ready for it. He was still trying to determine who among the Council could be trusted, and who could still be aligned with Alexei beneath his watchful eye.

"My brigade marched on Vonael one week ago with the order of providing martial law until such as time as a new Magistrate was selected. When we arrived, the town was empty and most of the buildings had been burnt to the ground. This included that Magistrate's manor, where we discovered the bodies of the two former Magistrates, Loandr and Idaizeus. There were no signs of people in any of the remaining buildings and we found no bodies. We discovered the bodies of many of the villagers upon a further search of the forest, but we were unable to discern what may have proven to be the end of them."

Iskar, the head of the Council nodded, listening interestedly. "And what do you suppose became of these people, Captain?"

"It is not my place to speculate, Sir. I merely report the facts as I have observed them."

Flynn made sure that he was prepared for that. He knew that LeBlanc had in fact observed more than he was telling, and did have a theory about who was behind this. The problem was that those associated seemed to be, by all accounts, rooted as deeply in the Empire has Alexei had once been.

"What about you, Commandant?"

"I have the Frings Brigade currently investigating the possibility of more vicious monsters than we had initially anticipated." Those monsters were humans, but he didn't dare say that. Aslan Frings was another Captain that he was certain he could trust. He was a lion hearted, upstanding man who, like himself, had risen through the ranks due to his skill and loyalty, not to Alexei, but to the Empire. Like LeBlanc, he was unfailing in his duty. "He is on Yurzorea doing a more in-depth investigation. I expect a report from him within an manner of days."

The Council did not seem terribly satisfied with this, but many of them only looked at each other.

"You sent the whole Frings Brigade for such an investigation?" The Head Councilman cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Yes." Flynn didn't waver.

"The Frings Brigade is a vital part of our military might on Illycia. Why would you send him half way across the world for some insignificant investigation?"

Flynn wanted to repeat the old adage of keeping your enemies close, but he maintained his calm. "The Frings Brigade is best equipped for such a mission with their numerous researchers. We have plenty of troops on Ilyccia for the time being, so we have no need to worry about Captain Frings and his brigade being vital to our defense." The brigade was not even particularly large and had been designed almost purely for investigative purposes. The idea that Iskar would suggest that it was 'vital' for defense, Flynn found a little suspicious.

"I demand that you recall him immediately!"

"I stand by my decision, Councilman Iskar. I am the Commandant and the Imperial Knights are mine to command for the good of the Empire. Unless I find that my decision has been made in error, it will continue to stand."

The Council gave him a collective look of shock. He had never dared to go against their word. He was usually more than willing to work in conjunction with the Council, since it was what he believed to be the best for the Empire. However, there were forces at work here that they could not understand. He was not sure who among their ranks, or even his own, could be trusted.

Iskar narrowed his eyes, locking them with Flynn's. "I do hope that you are not intending on making the Council your enemy, Commandant."

"Not at all. I am only thinking about what is best for the Empire." He stood from his seat. "This meeting is adjourned. Excuse me. I have business to attend to." Confidence in his stride, he left the conference room, LeBlanc in tow.

"Sir..."

In spite of being Commandant, he was half expecting to get fussed at for his decision to behave in such a way before the Council.

"Yes, Captain?" He looked back and up at the huge man following him. He was prepared.

LeBlanc grinned a little, which surprised him. "Maybe it's not my place to say, but I'm proud of you." The captain had seen him come a long way from his days as a child in the Lower Quarter to being Commandant.

"Thank you, Captain."

The captain excused himself, and headed down to the barracks for some long needed rest. Flynn wished briefly that he could rest, but he still had so much to do.

He headed back to his state room. He had troop reassignments to go over still, and then there were the new recruits to inspect. He wasn't ready for any of this. He had other things he wanted to do, but this was his job. This was what he had always dreamed of. He never imagined that it would cause him to feel so suspicious of everything.

"Sir?"

He turned. It was Sodia, saluting him.

"What is it, Sodia?" He paused by one of the palace windows looking out over the city.

"His Imperial Highness Ioder is awaiting your presence for lunch."

"Please tell him that I won't be joining him today. I have a great deal of business to attend to."

"Sir, you haven't been eating and I'm worried."

This was not the first day he had skipped lunch. He had been preoccupied with the ongoing search for Alexei's Word, the problem in Vonael, and the constant bullying of the Council. These things were wearing on him, as was the heavy suspicion hanging around him about who among the Empire's ranks was a traitor and who he could trust.

He turned slightly to overlook the road that ran perfectly paved through the Royal Quarter. That road seemed to separate him so much further from the Lower Quarter.

Below, he watched a black flash pass by the window, followed by a large purple dog. The flash stopped briefly enough for him to recognize that it was Yuri, being chased by Repede. He was smirking and taunting the dog, who lunged at him, barking. They continued their game of chase after a few seconds, now followed by some of the palace guards.

He felt a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It was good to see him up and moving and in a better mood. He even looked like he was having fun.

Flynn glanced over and saw that Sodia was also watching the spectacle below, with what appeared to be a fond smile. Could she have really carried the same feelings he did for Yuri? Would she prove to be a rival for his best friend's affections?

"You must be glad to see him feeling better." The offhanded comment was meant to try and get a feeling for her emotions.

She didn't reply. She stared out the window intensely.

"Maybe you should consider helping him train."

She snapped her head over to look at him. One of her eyes was twitching, and her mouth had scrunched up in a grimace. Her features softened after a moment as she calmed. "He wouldn't survive, Sir." Her reply was so quiet that he could barely hear it.

She must have been concerned about him as well, even since her visit to see him. She hadn't mentioned it to him. Maybe she was embarrassed by her feelings for the dark haired vigilante.

* * *

"Glad he is feeling better? No! I was laughing at him because he's being chased by his _own dog_!" That was what she wanted to say but if she blurted that out, her confession about what she had done to that idiot might come out, too. She still wasn't ready to tell him about that, not that she was sure she ever would be. She did wish that she could express her other feelings to him. Did he just not get it? Had he not read the countless love letters she had left at his door? What the hell did he think?

"I've been wondering, Sodia... why didn't you take the position of Captain when I offered it to you?"

It was obvious that he trusted her. After becoming Commandant, he offered to promote her for her efforts in the name of the Empire. Sodia had refused. She couldn't tell him that she couldn't bear to be away from him as long as being a Captain would require. She couldn't tell him that her guilt over the things that she had done to stay by his side prevented her from accepting. She didn't want to regret the thing that she did in Zaude that threatened to rip him away from his best friend and make a murderer out of her. She still didn't like Yuri Lowell.

"I just don't believe that I was the best person for the position."

He smiled a little. She wasn't sure if it was from watching Yuri Lowell train, or from her response, but she sincerely hoped that it was the latter. "You are just as qualified as Frings or LeBlanc."

What made him think so? Because she so loyally followed his every word? She didn't feel any particular loyalty to the Empire, but only to Flynn. It couldn't have been her battle prowess. She was an above average fighter, but no near himself. Was it because he could trust her? He trusted Yuri, and she (thankfully) didn't see him asking the miscreant to be a Captain. He trusted him much more than that.

She couldn't bring herself to disagree with him. "If you'll excuse me, Sir. I have some duties to attend to." She turned before he could dismiss her. If this line of questioning continued, it could have lead to one of two confessions on her part, neither of which she was ready for.

As she started to move down that hallway and away from the windows where Yuri Lowell could still be seen fleeing from the guards, she stopped. One of the Royal Guards passed her and headed down the hallway toward the Commandant, who was still staring out those windows. Something was wrong.

The Royal Guard did not salute. It was due to Flynn as the Commandant, and less so to herself. She could not allow anyone to disrespect Flynn. She knew this guard. He had been promoted to the Royal Guard from Flynn's own brigade. He was a normal soldier by all means. She had spoken with him on several occasions before and found nothing odd about him. But something about his normally confident gait was different today. The way he was carrying himself was different.

She turned back immediately. Something was very wrong. Her suspicions were confirmed when he started to draw his sword.

"Commandant!"

* * *

Flynn turned just in time to dodge a sword strike aimed at his head. The sword became momentarily lodged in the window frame, and the wielder struggled for a moment to dislodge it. He fumbled for his own sword, taking a step back to put some distance between himself and his attacker.

"We failed in Dahngrest! We won't fail again!" The sword came loose from the window frame with a snap, and the red uniformed Royal Guard advanced on him.

His mind raced. This was someone he trusted, someone he thought he could trust, someone he promoted due to their service and skill. This person was now attacking him, mercilessly slashing at him. This soldier was the enemy, and Flynn's death was his mission.

The distance between them didn't allow the knight a full range of motion with his sword, and went he swung, the pommel of the sword hit Flynn hard over his right eye. Frenzied, he hit Flynn twice more, fighting to get the sword between them and get some leverage against the Commandant. He struggled still to pull his sword out and prepare for another strike, trying to shield himself with his left arm. The blade hit his gauntlet in a series of swift strikes, taking out chunks of the metal. The guard drew back a step and raised his blade glinting over Flynn's head.

Just as he drew his sword, something hit the guard hard enough to knock him away. It was Sodia, having thrust her whole body into the soldier to throw him off balance and into an end table across the hallway. He pushed her back, knocking her into a wall. Her head and left arm collided hard with the wall with a crack, knocking her out.

The events at Dahngrest were flashing before Flynn's eyes once more. Someone else that he trusted, that he cared about, was injured protecting him. First, Yuri had taken a hit in Dahngrest after pushing him out of the way, and now Sodia. The rage was burning in his veins.

"He shall rise once more!" the guard shouted, but Flynn was ready this time.

As the soldier came at him once more, he struck at his unguarded abdomen, throwing him into the window. It shattered under his armored weight, and he went barreling toward the ground. Flynn rushed the window and witnessed the soldier hit the front steps of the castle with a crash.

The air in the castle was suddenly so suffocating. He staggered over to the fallen Sodia, kneeling beside her.

She was still breathing, thankfully, and aside from a gash on her head, and a mangled arm, she seemed mostly unscathed. She gasped and cringed, opening her eyes.

"Are you alright, Sodia?" Before she could even reply, he was calling for a medic.

"Are _you_ hurt, Sir?" she tried to stand up.

"I'm fine." That wasn't completely true. His nerves were definitely frayed by this attempt on his life.

A few medics and other Royal Guards came down the hall, rushing toward them. He was briefly overcome by the need to stand and defend himself once more. Could he trust these people when he couldn't seem to trust anyone?

"Sir, what happened?" LeBlanc was among those who responded to the emergency, much to his relief.

He sheathed his sword, although his hand remained on its handle. He moved to rub his suddenly aching head. Adrenaline had rushed his body in a fight or flight instinct and had given him the strength to propel his attacker out of the window. As it drained away he felt so weak suddenly, but that wasn't the only thing making him feel that way.

"We were attacked suddenly... by one of the Royal Guards. I believe that it may have been an attack by Alexei's Word." He responded quietly so that only LeBlanc who was standing right beside him could hear. If he didn't trust the Captain as much as he did, he would not have allowed him to be so close. At this range, it would have been so easy for someone he could not put such faith in to easily slip a dagger in between his ribs in another attempt at him. His nerves were still wracked, and he wanted to push everyone away, but he had to maintain his calm. "Please take care of Sodia."

LeBlanc nodded, and moved forward to take charge of the emergency workers who were tending to her.

Flynn motioned for two of the Royal Guards to come with him, and walked far enough in front of them that if one of them should decide to pick up where the other left off, he would have enough notice to defend himself. His hand ever on the sword, he led them out to the front steps of the palace.

The body was thankfully still there, bleeding down the steps of the palace, his skull crushed by the impact of the fall. That drove the threat home for him. His enemy was literally at his doorstep. He knelt and picked up the sword clenched in the man's hand. He hoped that his current theory was incorrect. He would have the sword analyzed just in case.

"Clean this up." His voice was cold and devoid of anything. He wanted to feel, but the shock made him feel hollow. Was this how Yuri felt when he woke with his blastia heart?

The guards set to work immediately. He walked back into the palace, the attacker's sword in hand. He had a theory, but it he hoped that it was not true.


	30. Chapter 30 - Trust

Author's Note: We get to go into a little bit of what happened before Flynn and Yuri joined the Knights, but not a whole lot.

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 30 - Trust

Every little pop and sound of the walls of his room kept him from sleep. He wasn't tired. Instead, he sat at his desk, pouring over volumes of research. His mind raced with a thousand thoughts. Who could he trust? There were people he was certain that he could trust, and then there were others who had earned his trust only to betray him. He had hoped that he had weeded all Alexei's followers out when he ascended to the position of Commandant, but it appeared that that was not the case at all. Instead, they had worked their way into his ranks, hiding behind every shadow.

His theory had been true. When the castle mages examined the sword, they found that it was laced with poison. It was a powerful poison, listed in Alexei's research as Cerania, which was used to infect Alexei's followers to determine the candidates for 'his heart'. Those infected exhibited flu like symptoms, including a high fever, congestion, and debilitating weakness. These were the same symptoms that Yuri exhibited during his illness. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, and he did not like what it was shaping up to be.

He needed to see him. He did not, however, plan to leave through the front door. That would leave him open. He passed several sets of guards on every floor and there were three floors between him and the exit. Any of these could be potential assassins. If Yuri could scale the castle wall up and down as he pleased, surely he could too.

He was wrong. About half way down, he lost his footing and ended up in the bushes below in the royal gardens. He had made it down unscathed, mostly thanks to the armor that he hadn't dared to take off. He was not planning on making himself an easy victim for whoever could be lurking around any corner.

He left quietly through the garden and was perfectly alert for his whole walk down to the Lower Quarter. The city was silent and unnerving. For a few moments, he thought he could hear a set of footsteps following his own, but when he looked back, there were only empty, dark streets. He wasn't being followed. He was just making himself paranoid.

Without a second thought, he mounted the steps to Yuri's room.

Judith was waiting by the door. She smiled at his approach, but said nothing. She made a quiet exit.

He didn't even knock. He didn't care if Yuri was awake or not. If he were asleep, he would merely wait for him to wake. Surely, the nightmares would wake him at some point in the night and he could confront him.

Yuri was awake. He suddenly didn't want to talk about this anymore. He merely needed to be with someone who he could trust.

* * *

"Flynn, you look like hell."

The dark bags under his eyes, the branches and leaves sticking out of his spiky blond hair, tears in his cape. It had been a while since he looked this rough. He moved straight to the bed. Yuri had been sitting up for a while, hoping to avoid another nightmare.

Flynn didn't speak. He knelt on the bed and pressed Yuri up against the wall, kissing him deep and hard.

Yuri didn't resist initially, mostly overcome with surprise that Flynn's tongue was exploring the depths of his mouth. He felt so hot all of a sudden. It probably didn't help that the blond was tangling one hand in his hair, the other hand fighting to undo the buckles on his armor. Flynn broke the kiss, decidedly ignoring his armor for a moment to try and get Yuri out of his clothing. This was not going to stand. Yuri pushed back immediately as soon as Flynn started to unbutton his shirt. He still wasn't ready for that to be seen again.

The blond seemed more than a little disappointed.

"What the hell, Flynn?" He wiped his warm, sweet-tasting mouth on his sleeve. Twice now he had been unable to keep his tongue in his own goddamn mouth.

"Did you know?"

"Know about what?" He almost said 'question me or make out with me, you can't have both' but he was afraid Flynn might take that offer too seriously.

"That the hit in Dahngrest was meant for me?"

Yuri had figured it out a while ago. It didn't really surprise him. If Alexei had followers left in the world, then they would certainly be after Flynn, as the supposed destroyer of the former Commandant. When Judith and Estelle mentioned that Yuri had been poisoned, there was also the point that they thought the hit may have been meant for Flynn and not Lady Marta.

"The poison on that knife was meant for me." He grabbed the front of Yuri's shirt. "This... this heart was meant for me."

That sounded romantic, but it wasn't meant to. The thought had crossed his mind before, but he would rather not think about that. He didn't regret taking that hit in Dahngrest. It hadn't been a serious injury. It was the poison that followed that caused him more distress than that, and then receiving his new heart. He was growing used to his newest appendage, but he still didn't like it. At the same time, he thought: _Better me than Flynn._ "I didn't know it at the time, but I'd do it again."

This only seemed to make his rage worse. "I'm tired of the people I care about getting hurt protecting me! First you, and now Sodia. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I only figured it out a little while ago myself." Yuri pulled back, loosening Flynn's hold on his shirt.

"There was another attempt on my life today."

"By who?"

He hesitated, like it was something that he didn't want to believe even still. "One of the Royal Guards."

"Lemme guess, one of the ones who originally worked for Alexei, but you kept him on since he renounced him and swore allegiance?" That came a little harshly.

"No... Yuri, he was someone I promoted from my own brigade. He was someone who served under me. He was someone I trusted."

If Yuri could have eaten his words at that moment, he would have.

Flynn sighed. "Why did I even come here? I should be back at the palace trying to get all this sorted out."

"You need to get some rest."

"How?" It was obvious that he didn't know who he could trust. Anyone could have snuck into his room under the cover of night and tried to finish him off. He didn't want to say how ill at ease he was in the moment. He had come because he needed to be near someone who he could trust implicitly.

Yuri leaned one arm over and pulled him down onto the bed. "Get some sleep."

"Yuri, I don't have time..."

"You will sleep or I will knock you out. Pick one."

Flynn seemed to debate on that for a moment, before he laid his head down on the pillow. He fought with words for a moment, and then just closed his eyes. "Thank you..."

* * *

He twisted a bit of Flynn's hair between his fingers. The blond had been sleeping soundly for a little while now, and Yuri lay beside him, propped up on one elbow, watching. He looked so briefly peaceful, in spite of the bruises darkening on his face and the knot on his head. The armor that he was wearing was more beat up this time than he had seen in a while, with numerous fresh notches in his left gauntlet. It must have been a harrowing attack.

"Damn it, Flynn," he whispered quietly in the darkness. "Every time you come to visit, I'm stronger, but my resolve wavers a little more..." He didn't want to admit that he was afraid. He had almost lost Flynn. As if Judith wasn't already making him rethink his reasons.

Laying there with Flynn, that strange comfort overcame him and he felt less hollow. It was like that unfamiliar feeling was filling up his empty insides. He felt less like a machine, and more like a man. His mechanical heart even sounded almost normal.

He wondered if maybe he shouldn't deny his feelings anymore. Maybe he should just give up and be happy, even if it would only lead to his own heartbreak later. He hated to admit that Judith might have been right. He felt _better_ when Flynn was around, and better after he had gone. She might have been right about everything. Maybe if he didn't take his chance now, Flynn could be gone later.

Those nightmares though, they still haunted him. He killed Flynn. It could have foretold that one day they would be enemies.

To love now and in the moment and let it possibly end in death and tragedy in the future? Or to be stuck in this horrible, aching stalemate forever? He didn't like the odds either way.

He leaned in a little bit. Their lips were so close. It wasn't like he longed to kiss him or anything, or that he ever wanted to.

He couldn't help thinking about the promise they made as children. The promise to work together to change this world. A promise that he thought they had broken, but had indeed been fulfilled the previous year. He thought of the final argument they had as children before Flynn joined the Knights. They weren't even really children. Both of them had just turned seventeen, and Flynn had gone to enlist. He was trying to convince Yuri to do this as well. It was their dream right?

"Yuri, I really think that joining the Imperial Knights would be good for you. It's a steady job with decent pay and it'll help us fulfill the promise we made. We'll be able to change the world."

"And it's nothing but rules and discipline and stuffed shirts." Over his years living in the Lower Quarter, he had realized that the Knights were largely useless.

"Fine! You can keep living here in stagnation! I'm going to do the things that we dreamed of! I'm going to change this world with or without you!"

"Fine! Who needs you anyway?!" He didn't mean that, and after reading Flynn's letters, he knew that Flynn didn't mean the things that he had said either.

"You couldn't make it as a Knight, anyway. You're hot headed and immature and have no respect for authority!"

The door to their tiny room slammed shut and Flynn was gone.

That final argument that ended their childhood never left his mind. He had never been able to tell Flynn how sad he was when he walked out that door. He was being left behind, abandoned, after everything that they had gone through together. He always knew that one day, Flynn would realize how different their paths were, how useless and hopeless Yuri was and give up and leave. He had always hoped that day would never come.

He had gone to enlist as well shortly after that. He convinced himself that it was the need to show Flynn that he could make it in the Knights that compelled him. After the exam and the weeks of training that followed, they were sent to Ceazontania. Well, Flynn was assigned to the brigade in Ceazontania. Yuri had been assigned to Aspio. He never told Flynn, but he beat another of the recruits at a game of dice for his assignment. He convinced himself at the time that it wasn't so he could be close to Flynn. He had been lying to himself.

When he left the Knights, he felt lost. It was not the place for him. In his eyes, it was a world of rules and policies and not nearly enough work to actually change anything. He had intended on traversing the world after that but, in the end, he just spent a few days dithering about and then headed back to Zaphias, defeated. He had been unable to fulfill the promise that they made as children and he only ended up being a failure. His every little bit of over flowing energy at that time went into causing trouble and helping the people of the Lower Quarter. He routinely kicked drunks out of bars, threw tax collectors into the river, and spent nights patrolling the darkness with Repede, usually looking for a fight. He had been arrested numerous times. He had always known that he was never 'Imperial Knight material.'

In the little bit of time with the Knights years ago, Yuri realized that he was going to be the one with the dirtied hands. His response to upsetting situations was violence and, one day, although he had hoped that it would never come to that, he might end up taking a life. He would be the one doing what no one else wanted to do, and living without the recognition that came with being the hero. Over time he'd come accept that. It still burned, though. Flynn got to be the hero, which was the job that Yuri could never do. Flynn could change things, he could make this world a better place, while Yuri could only save it. And one day, when this world was saved and Flynn had changed things, he would suffer the consequences of what he had done because there would no longer be a place for him.

Yuri pulled back. He still had reservations about this. Even though things were different now, he couldn't shake the fear that his bloodied hands would stain Flynn, too.

"'M Iinterruptin' somethin'?"

"Hey, Old Man." He didn't turn away from Flynn, his fingertips still playing in the blond hair. He was a little afraid that if he turned away, he would disappear. "I've got a favor to ask you."

"Anythin' ya need, kid."

"Find out who can be trusted in the Council and among the knights. We need to know who's with Alexei, and who's with Flynn."

"Heard about the attack on our beloved Commandant already. I figured he'd be holed up in his room surrounded by guards."

"He needs people he can trust."

"And you're the person he can trust more than anyone."

It was true.

"Just talk to your eyes and ears. I know you've got 'em all over the capital. We need to know what's going on."

He heard Raven shift in the window, like he was turning to leave.

"Oh, and Old Man."

"Hm?"

"Keep us in the loop this time. Or I'll break your nose too. This is fate of the Empire business."

"Since when do you care about the Empire?"

"I don't." He moved a lock of hair out of Flynn's face, letting one of his fingers trail gently across his slightly tanned and bruised cheekbone. He listened as Raven's footsteps tracked across the ledge and over the roof, and then were gone.

He didn't care about the Empire. Flynn, though, was a new symbol of the Empire. He was everything that the Empire should have aspired to be. Noble, heroic, caring, even if a bit inflexible. Unlike Alexei, Flynn was taking steps to fix the broken system, and had been made into a target for rage in the process. Even much of the Council didn't appear to like him, but it was hard to determine if they were angry at his power, or that he wasn't Alexei, who seemed to allow them to do mostly what they pleased. The Empire had become a slightly more bearable place since he became Commandant, and things were on the rise, or so Yuri hoped.

Either way, he would protect _their_ dream.


	31. Chapter 31 - Suspicion

Author's Notes: I still really like writing Repede (y6.6y)

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 31 – Suspicion

The palace was not among his normal patrol areas, but a contact of his promised to meet him here. He snuck through a drainage pipe and into the gardens. He was allowed here, but he'd rather nobody see him when meeting with an informant. It was safer this way.

Repede sniffed around the garden. There were many familiar scents of people and animals that he knew, and places where he had marked the territory as his own. He searched the area for the scent of his contact, and padded a little further into the garden. It was a little while before the rustling of bushes alerted him.

It was his contact, a pampered and heavyset orange striped cat who lived in the palace. She waddled up and showed him her respects with a little bow.

She told him of what she had overheard. There were those in the palace who hated the Commandant, whom she liked. Those who hated him wanted him dead and their numbers were small, but they were people of power. They spoke of another, the former Commandant, who had nearly destroyed the world. The current Commandant had many who were loyal to him though, who spoke his praises with nearly every breath. They were less powerful, but their numbers were great.

He asked for names, but she did not know them. Something about them though smelled strange to her, but she could not place the scent.

She told Repede of the attempt on the Commandant's life by one of the men in the red uniforms. He survived thanks to the girl with the braid, but the attacker had died on the steps of the palace. She had watched him leave the palace earlier that evening through the gardens. She wondered if this had anything to do with the horrible thing that had happened to his human.

After a few more questions, he thanked her for the information. He watched as she left, and then he went back to sniffing around the garden. If the two incidents were indeed connected, and his other human was in danger, this would not be good.

He trotted between a series of trees, and found himself at the wall of the palace. There were many windows above, a few of the upper ones shining with candlelight. He was not good at climbing. He just wasn't build for it. He took a few steps back and settled quietly in a bush where he had a decent view of the upper windows. There were guards patrolling the halls and he could see the pink haired form of the girl who was friends with his human. He watched for a few moments, wondering if perhaps his vantage down here was not the best. Nothing suspicious appeared to be happening here.

The front steps were the next area for him to investigate. Perhaps he could pick up the scent of the guard who died there that day and track it. The steps were clean when he got there, but that didn't deter him.

The marble steps smelled mostly of cleaning supplies with heavy sterile scents, but his nose was able to find the strange base note underneath. Hot, heavy, and metallic was how blood smelled to him. It lingered hard in his nose, but there was something else there too. It was something he had not smelled in a long while, and recalled him back to the day when he had helped fight Alexei at Zaude. The shark-like man and some of his red-eyed minions had bore the same smell, and the former reeked of it. It was sharper than blood, with a machine-like oiliness and the potent scent of death.

As much as the smell bothered his nose, he hoped that it would help him locate the ones who had done this to his human, and the ones connected to the tragedy that almost befell his other human.

He sniffed around the steps a little longer to get as good a sample of the scent as possible, and track in a few directions.

Repede closed his eye, concentrating on that smell. It led into the palace, but he could not follow it there, unless his human was with him. It would be much too suspicious for just himself to be there. The enemy could be alerted and he preferred the element of surprise. When he opened his eye again, he was able to visualize the smell creeping through the air as a long, red ribbon. He followed it away from the steps and around the side of the palace.

It was dark, but the darkness was not a hindrance to his eye. It easily pierced it and showed him every detail as easily as if it were daylight. Repede treaded carefully though, not wanting to alert anything possibly lurking of his presence. He moved through bushes and along flowerbeds until he could see another set of windows. More guards in red uniforms patrolling the long halls, more lavish hallways of nothingness. He watched these people for a while, but didn't see anything terribly suspicious. He moved on, following the ribbon of stench that disappeared around the side of the building.

Perplexed and perturbed, he sniffed around for it a little longer, but it was gone. Scents did not just disappear.

A twig snapping behind him alerted him to another presence, and in a flash, Repede had his knife clenched between his teeth, snarling.

"Hey, boy."

He knew that voice, and he returned his knife to its sheath at his shoulder. He turned to see Raven, crouching behind him, grinning.

"Lookin' for yer girlfriend?"

He growled. This was a serious situation, and this scruffy old man was making light of it. He had been here to see a contact. How the hell could he even think of romance at a time like this?

Raven patted him on the head. "I know you're here lookin' out for the kids. Anything interesting?" Maybe he was here on a similar mission. In spite of the things that happened the previous year, he knew that the man cared for his human and had been trying to help take care of him. He could be trusted.

Repede led the man to the steps, where he found the initial scent, even though things had been cleaned up. He turned his head toward the large, gilded wooden doors that barred him from entering the palace, where the scent still filled the air. There was something, someone inside. According to his informant, there were multiple people who could not be trusted. If he could get in, he could surely find these people by scent.

"Something inside?"

He agreed with a wuff.

"Why don't we head down to the barracks? There's someone there I'd like to talk to."

He trotted up to the door and as soon as the scruffy man opened it, he slipped inside, sniffing all around. That scent was definitely here, but he held back from investigating too much. He wanted to see Raven's contact in the palace. Maybe this person had more information.

They walked down through the barracks. It was late and quiet, and most of the knights were asleep. They passed a few guards, who gave them sideways glances, but Repede didn't care. Since his other human became Commandant, they were allowed in the palace, and he knew that the old man had spend a large amount of time here over the years. It may have seemed strange that they were visiting so late, but they were on a mission. And since he wasn't by himself, it wasn't as suspicious.

The old man led him to a series of four wooden doors toward the end of the barracks, each adorned with a name plaque. He couldn't read them, but they must have belonged to someone important. They stopped at the second door.

"Ah, this takes me back." He gazed at the plaque, eyes soft with nostalgia. He knocked.

"Who's coming to bother me this late?!"

Repede recognized the thundering voice that rang loudly in his ears, even from the other side of the door.

The door swung open hurriedly, and the huge man inside stopped in surprise. "Cap-"

Raven cut him off. "Mind if we come in for a chat?"

The man moved aside to allow them in.

He knew this man. He had pursued them halfway across the world once in an effort to arrest his human, but he knew that this was a good man. He was upright and noble and followed the letter of the law. He was a defender of the Empire, and was not an enemy of his human any longer. He was someone who his other human trusted. Whatever he said could be trusted.

He sat and listened intently.

* * *

"Sorry to be comin' by so late."

"It's not a problem, Sir!" It was hard to break old habits.

"It's Raven."

"Ah, yes. Sorry." LeBlanc motioned for Raven to take a seat at the desk inside the office, and he sat behind it. "What brings you here?"

"We've known each other for a long time. I need you to be completely honest with me."

"Of course, Cap- Raven."

"We both know that the Empire is in danger. What do you know about Alexei's Word?" Raven leaned a bit in the chair, drumming his fingers along the desk that had once been his own. He didn't miss it, but it felt familiar.

"I don't think that is a matter I should be discussing."

"I'm just tryin' to help the Commandant out."

LeBlanc thought about it for a moment. He had never been able to deny his former captain information before, and starting now seemed stupid. He was genuine in his want to help. He may not work for the Empire now, but his heart was in the right place.

"We have some evidence now of their involvement in the incidents in Vonael. Captain Frings is now investigating the area. We're waiting on his report."

Raven nodded. "And what about what's going on here in the palace?"

"What do you mean?"

"The attempt on our dear Commandant's life today, by one of his own Royal Guards."

He seemed a little stunned by this. They had not made this information public for fear of causing mass panic, which Raven understood completely. That last thing that they wanted was for people to be living in fear on the streets and possibly drive this threat into hiding. They had to maintain a sense of calm while trying to sort out this situation, especially if the threat was in their midst.

"He was attacked in one of the upper hallways, but Lieutenant Sodia defended him. They both sustained some injures, Sodia's a bit more severe. The Commandant fought off the attacker, knocking him out of the window and onto the front steps of the palace. The castle researchers found that the blade used was poisoned. I don't know much more about the incident, but I do believe that... this may be connected."

"Is there anyone that you can think of who's an open opponent of him? In the Council or otherwise?"

"I know that there are a few people in the Council who don't agree with many of the things that he's been doing."

"Anyone in particular?"

LeBlanc pulled a scrap of paper out of his desk, and the quill pen out of the ink well on his desk. He silently scribbled a few names down, and slid the paper across the desk. "No one I can think of who would be connected to this. The Council and Commandant Flynn are are on pretty good terms over all." It was a lie, but the paper held the truth. Even he was suspicious that someone in the palace could be involved in this.

He picked up the paper and looked at the three names listed. He knew these people, and where to find them. "Thanks, LeBlanc. That really helps." He folded the paper up and shoved it into one of his pockets as he stood. He turned to the door, and looked back over his shoulder. "Watch yourself. Flynn needs people he can trust." He barely even said it, but the captain nodded with an understanding.

Repede followed him out of the office, pausing briefly after they shut the door.

"Looks like we've got a lead, pooch."

* * *

He growled. He resented being called 'pooch' but Raven never seemed to really call anybody by their own names. It was just the way he did things. Maybe he would bite him for it one day, but now was not the time.

Repede disregarded the strange man for a few moments, and worked to pick the scent back up. He recalled it quickly and he could smell only the faintest traces of it here.

"If you smell anything suspicions, let's keep it between us. Don't want to alert 'em that we know." Why he had bothered saying that, Repede didn't know. He already knew what needed to be done here. He would make it known to Raven if he did find anything.

He sniffed his way all through the barracks, nose prying into the beds of sleeping soldiers, and into every corner. The scent was not strong enough here for him to be concerned. Someone with the scent had been coming and going, but not for a few days, and they were not here currently. He knew that the hallways of the palace held more of the smell for him to trace, and he continued through them as Raven followed.

The warrior dog padded up steps and down, long corridors patrolled by the red uniformed Royal Guard. He watched each one, sniffing the air near them to get an idea of their scent. None of them smelled of that heavy blood and machine scent. That was a good sign. It wasn't that these could necessarily be trusted, though. It was just that they did not smell like the one of their fold that had tried to harm his other human.

He liked Flynn and he did not want to see any harm befall him. He knew that his human liked Flynn also, as much as he didn't want to admit it most of the time. They were close, thick as thieves those two, even before Repede had come into the picture during that time in Ceazontania. They argued and fought, raising fist and sword against each other, but they never stopped being friends. Their relationship had been strained until very recently, after the horrible thing that had happened to his human. They had grown closer since then.

After several mostly identical hallways, he stopped. The door of this room only barely held back waves of that horrid scent. It was very strong here. A low, deep growl rolled in his throat and every hair along his back stood on end.

"What's up, boy?"

Repede tilted his head up, still growling.

Raven looked at the door a moment, before grabbing him by the collar. He immediately growled louder, a warning to the man to release him. He had a job to do here, and this old man was not going to deter him. They may have been comrades, but he would not hesitate further from biting him if he felt it necessary.

"I know you wanna run in there and avenge the kids, but we hafta take it slow. Let me handle this."

He pulled away from the man, eying him.

"I'll keep an eye on this guy. You go keep watch over the kids."

He didn't want to leave, but he knew that Raven could more easily infiltrate and interrogate than he was capable of. He could get where the dog could not, easily and his oafishness made it easy for people to drop their guard around him. He wanted to stay, but the work that he was able to do had been done, so he padded home. The old man could handle things for now.


	32. Chapter 32 - Feelings

Author's Notes: I just wanted to say hello to all the new followers! You may recognize the names of the other captains. They're all characters from other Tales games making cameo appearances, just like Asch and Luke.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 32 - Feelings

He woke with the dawn as he usually did but, unlike normal, he was not in his own bed, but in Yuri's. He was fine with that, though. That had allowed him to actually sleep, instead of being awake all night, listening to the complete absence of sound that filled the palace at night.

Yuri was snoring beside him, pressed up to him closely enough that Flynn could feel the warmth from his blastia heart. It was the heart that had been meant for him. That sounded more romantic than it really was. Because this was supposed to be his heart, he had to take care of it, too. He had put off his decision long enough.

Flynn sat up slowly, carefully untangling himself from his dark haired friend, who was still asleep. He wondered briefly how Yuri could continue to deny their feelings for one another, and still hold him so closely through the night. Was it merely friendship? His hands were still warm from being held. He relished that.

He crept carefully over his friend's sleeping form and stood. Repede was lying on the floor beside the bed, his one eye ever vigilant. He whined at Flynn. Had he been there all night watching over them?

"I'm okay. Thanks for keeping watch." He petted the dog, who seemed pleased. "Tell Yuri I said goodbye, okay?"

Repede wuffed softly.

Flynn left as quietly as he could. His armor made him feel so noisy and heavy. It was better to be protected, though. He clunked down the steps, hoping that it didn't wake Yuri. He crossed in front of the Comet and noticed Judith, Karol, and Rita sitting inside, having breakfast. He walked in.

"Good morning, Flynn!"

Rita grumbled at him, too busy eating and reading to make much of an attempt at a real greeting.

"Good morning."

"Good morning. I've come to a decision."

Two of the three waited as he cleared his throat.

"I will duel with Yuri at the end of his training." The heart in his friend's chest was his responsibility and he could not hesitate any further. There was no one else who could do this. He was going to make sure that Yuri recovered completely. In the end, he knew that Yuri would be mad at him for hesitating to begin within. He would also appreciate the duel with him more than he would with anyone else. Yuri needed him to do this. _He_ needed to do this.

"I'm glad to hear that."

"That's great!"

He really would have liked to stay and talk to them longer, but he had work to do. He was calm and collected once more, and was ready to be the Commandant, regardless of the threats on his life. "I would love to celebrate, but I must be getting back to the palace."

Judith and Karol smiled, Rita waved at him in annoyance. He turned to go, but remembered something.

"If you would please, let Raven know I'd like to see him next time you see him."

"We'll let him know you're looking for him."

He nodded, and took the grueling walk back up to the palace.

* * *

Karol had woken him a little after dawn, excited about more training, but also to let him know that Estelle was here to see him. She came up the stairs, followed by a second set of footsteps. His door was open, so she just walked right in while he was pulling on his boots, and the guard that was with her waited outside the door. Flynn must have increased security on her and Ioder, but this was not one of the regular red uniformed Royal Guards. This one was wearing the olive and brown uniform that LeBlanc's brigade wore. He must have been a Knight recommended by the Captain himself, and hopefully better at fighting than Adecor and Boccos.

"It's so good to see you up and walking around!" She hugged him tight as she had only once before, after he woke in Zaphias after the events at Zaude. She pulled back after only a second and he could tell that she was definitely reinforcing that their relationship was sibling-like at most. They were as close as brother and sister. That being said, he felt a little bad about hiding things from her as he was doing now.

"It's thanks in part to you, Estelle." He still didn't dare tell her about the training that Judith and Karol had been putting him through. Her nightly singing had helped him sleep, even with the nightmares.

"I came to ask you for a favor, Yuri." She bit her bottom lip a little bit.

"What do you need?"

"I was hoping that you could head up to the palace today."

"For what?" If it was about what happened to Flynn, he already knew.

"Well, Sodia got hurt last night protecting Flynn and I thought that she might feel a lot better if you went and visited her."

Yuri had to hold himself back from laughing. Injured or not, she would not want to see him. "Why on earth would she want see me?"

"I... It's really not my place to say... but I think that maybe she has a crush on you..."

He couldn't hold back this time out of pure surprise. The laughter rose from deep inside him, nearly knocking him to the floor. It was loud and long, and the heartiest laugh he had had in a good long time. After a moment, his sides started to ache dully, forcing him to stop his near rolling around on the floor. The very idea that Sodia harbored any romantic feelings for him was both impossible and hilarious. She hated him and the scar near his hip proved it.

Estelle was just staring at him in slightly horrified anger. "Yuri! That's not nice! You can't just stomp on a maiden's feeling like that!"

That sent him on another laughing fit for a moment before the pain in his sides became too much to keep going. "So you want to me go up and see her?"

"Yes. I think that would be very nice of you."

He didn't want to. He didn't like Sodia, but this would give him the chance to ask her about what happened the day before during the attack on Flynn's life. That, and maybe just a little, he would like to thank her. He didn't like her but she was someone that Flynn could trust to his dying breath, and he could appreciate that.

"All right. If it'll make you feel better, I'll go up to the palace today and see her."

She let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank you. I'm sure that she'll really appreciate it." She turned to the door, where the guard was waiting for her. "I'd like to stop by this evening if that's okay. Now, Rita's waiting for me in the castle library." Her cheeks pinked slightly. He wondered if she had acted on the advice he had given her.

"That's fine by me." He smiled. His actions were finally starting to feel normal again. It was becoming almost as if there was no blastia heart in his chest and nothing had changed. But things had changed, he was just resisting them.

"Have a good day." And with a small smile and a little wave, she and her guard left.

He stretched. It looked like training would have to wait a little bit. He had a lot of questions for Sodia.

* * *

Yuri told Karol and Judith of his outing, and with no objection, he and Repede went up to the palace. It was nice not running or being chased or racing just for once. He enjoyed training with his partner, but this was relaxing, in spite of the events of the night previous. It was growing cooler still as winter began to approach. He hoped to be back at full strength before the frost started to creep along the ground and across the windowpanes. Winter would be a difficult time to train, and he wanted to resolve all this business with Alexei's followers before the coming spring, preferably well before that.

"Find anything out last night?" He often spoke with Repede. The others looked at him like he was a little crazy, but he had known Repede for most of his short dog life, and they understood each other. He could rely on the dog when he could rely on no one else. They were not master and pet. They were friends and partners. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Repede wuffed and then let out a little whine, padding alongside Yuri the whole way up to the palace.

"Sounds interesting. It's good that you have a lot of contacts. I guess you heard about what happened to Flynn then?"

The warrior dog growled long and low in his throat and flicked his tail.

"Ah, so the Old Man has some information too. I'll have to ask him then."

As they got nearer to the palace, he could really see the increase in security. Maybe the untrained eye wouldn't notice the double guards at the doors, but he did. He thought briefly that Flynn might be a little paranoid, but he didn't blame him for being cautious. He didn't know how many of these people he could trust.

The marble steps to the doors always seemed endless and cold to Yuri. He really preferred taking the back wall up, but it seemed like a bad idea with the increased security, and with Repede with him, it would just prove too difficult. He also wasn't here to see Flynn this time, although he had thought about stopping in to see how he was doing. The guards let him in easily. They all knew who he was, and he both liked and hated that. They knew he was Flynn's friend, but they also knew that he was somewhat notorious. They followed orders, but were still duly suspicious of him.

He took the long hall and stone steps down to the barracks. If Sodia was recovering from any serious injuries, she would be there. He knew that she had her own office there, closely beside the captains' offices although he had not seen it before.

"I'm sorry, but you're not allowed down here," one of the two guards said.

"Oh, I'm here to see Sodia. Lady Estellise sent me." He smirked a bit at that.

"I'm afraid that-"

"YURI LOWELL!"

The guards shook under the thunderous voice of Captain LeBlanc who came stomping into the room.

"Hey, LeBlanc." He was expecting an argument about how he shouldn't be there and how he shouldn't beat up on the Knights even if he was retraining.

"Stand down, boys. He's with me." That was unexpected. "Come on, Lowell."

They eased a little reluctantly, still watching Yuri out of the corners of their eyes. Of course they knew who he was, but there were some places that the common folk were just not allowed, and the barracks was one of them.

Yuri followed LeBlanc to a series of offices in the back of the barracks. His own was here, as well as the offices of Captains Frings, Aurion, and Orsted. A little further down the hall were Sodia's quarters. She had resisted being a captain, but she couldn't resist the place of honor that Flynn had given her. They stood in front of her door for a moment.

"I don't know why yer here to see her."

"I've got a couple of questions about what happened to Flynn. It seems like she was the only other person who witnessed it."

LeBlanc seemed a little surprised that he knew. Yuri hadn't been in the castle in a few weeks now and suddenly here he was wanting to see Sodia and not _Flynn_. Everyone knew that he always came to see Flynn.

"I don't know what she can tell you that she hasn't already told us, but go ahead." He knocked on the door.

"What?" As charming as ever.

He opened the door. "You've got a visitor." He moved, and allowed Yuri to enter the room. Repede waited outside the door, standing guard. "I'll leave you two alone." And he left.

Sodia was laid up in bed, her left arm in a sling and her head wrapped in bandages. She was in civilan clothes for the first time he'd ever seen, a plain pair of brown pants and a simple white shirt. Wow, she was boring. She didn't look happy to see him, as if she wasn't capable of anything other than venomous rage directed at him.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Thought I'd stop by to see how you were doing. Estelle said you could use some cheering up."

"Not from you. Get out of here."

"Actually, I wanted to ask about what happened yesterday."

"I've already told Captain LeBlanc everything I know."

"You haven't told me."

She growled. "This is none of your business."

"It involves Flynn. It's my business." He wouldn't stop hounding her until she told him and she understood that. Sodia finally told him, even if begrudgingly. He listened to every detail. It had been a surprise attack from a Royal Guard, who Flynn had promoted. This was a soldier who was by all accounts normal and well adjusted, and then suddenly, he was out to kill the Commandant.

"This is why you're still at his side, you know."

"What?"

"I knew that if it came to it, you'd give your life for Flynn without a second thought. I can't trust you with anything else, but I can trust you to protect him if he needs it. I don't know if I could rely on anyone else for that." He noticed just barely that one of his hands was on his hip, fingers just above the scar that she caused.

"I've told you what you needed to know. Now leave." Her injuries were the only things keeping her from taking a swing at him.

He couldn't help but smirk. He got what he came for, but what Estelle said earlier was stuck in his mind. He wouldn't mind poking a little fun while he had the opportunity of her not being able to poke back. "So I heard something interesting about you from Estelle."

"What." It wasn't even a question.

"Heard you've got a bit of a crush on someone." Yuri was fighting back the urge to laugh. His sides were still sore from his last outburst.

"The hell are you even talking about?" If looks could kill, he wouldn't have survived the events at Zaude.

"I'm flattered frankly."

"Yuri Lowell..." Her face was turning a terribly interesting shade of red.

"I hope that it doesn't hurt your feelings, but I don't have a single shred of affection for you in my entire body."

Sodia was fighting to get off the bed and screaming obscenities at him.

He backed up to the door, still holding in his laughter. He opened the door behind his back and blew a kiss at her and winked. "See you later!" He turned, shutting the door, satisfied with himself.

"Yuri, what are you doing?" And there was Flynn, looking at him, brow furrowed in frustration. His face was a little red. Was he blushing?

He shrugged. "Thought I'd stop by and see how things were going in the palace."

Flynn grabbed his shoulders and pressed him against the closed door. "How do you feel about Sodia?"

He couldn't hold it in any longer. He nearly doubled over once more, laughing. Really? Flynn thought what Estelle said was true? This was just too funny.

"Yuri, that's not nice." Flynn was frowning at him.

"If you _honestly_ think that I like her, you are out of your goddamn mind."

"You should be more mindful of people's feelings."

"So says the man who keeps shoving his tongue down my throat."

There was a moment of silence where neither of them looked at the other. Yuri wasn't even sure he was still breathing. He wished Flynn would move. He wished he would move. He wished that he could say something, anything, but his voice was suddenly gone. It was another one of those stupid moments were they both said exactly the thing that would get the other one to shut up.

"I... Thank you... for last night. I really needed that."

"Don't mention it. Stop by if you need anything else."

He moved to duck under Flynn's arm, but the blond pinned him back down. Flynn leaned in, his mouth so close to Yuri's that he could feel the warmth from his lips and his nervous breathing. He paused.

Yuri knew that if Flynn kissed him one more time, his walls might fall. He might not be able to resist any longer. All of the opposition to this would just drain away and he would have to give in. Half of him wanted to end this stalemate, the other half wanted to hold true to the things that he had always convinced himself of.

Repede whined from beside them, looking up. Even he could feel the tension hanging heavy in the air between them.

Flynn pulled back, slowly pulling his hand off of Yuri's shoulder. Those fingertips were longing to stay just a little longer, but he pulled them away. "I'm sorry. I need to get back to work."

"Yeah. Me too." Yuri left and didn't turn back. This annoying dance of emotions was really wearing on him, but he couldn't honestly say that he wasn't at fault for it, too. He needed to get some of this pent up aggression out. Fighting monsters outside the city where Karol and Judith were waiting for him was exactly what he needed.

He got to the steps of the palace and looked down at Repede. "You up for a race out of town?"

The warrior dog barked.

And they were off.


	33. Chapter 33 - Support

Author's Notes: We're nearing the half way mark now. Flynn's not as sneaky as he thinks he is.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 33 - Support

It was well after nightfall before Karol and Judith were able to convince Yuri that he had done enough training for the day. All the fighting had really done very little to clear his head of the muddle of emotional thoughts and memories that swirled in it. The hot shower that followed didn't help much, either. Yuri was glad, though, that he was able to take a shower without electrocuting himself with his new blastia heart. That was the first little bit of relief he felt all day. He was also grateful that the innkeeper allowed him to the use her family's bath instead of having to deal with people staring at him at the public bath.

As he walked back upstairs to his room, the cool autumn air stung his warm skin a bit, but it was refreshing. He stood on the stairs for just a moment, overlooking the creek that ran beside the Comet. Something about the quiet of the Lower Quarter at night was comforting. He liked Dahngrest well enough, but it was loud all hours of the night. He was anxious to get back to guild business and get back to life. Judith and Karol told him earlier that day that he probably only had another half a week before he was ready for his 'final test' whatever that was. He had things to do and he felt like if he was cooped up in Zaphias too much longer with Flynn then he would lose this fight.

"Why the hell am I still thinking about this? I decided years ago that this was for the better. Why am I wavering now?"

Yuri shook his head and trudged the rest of the way up to his room. Estelle was still supposed to stop by tonight, although that probably wouldn't require him talking to her or thinking. She would just stand outside the door singing to him as she had on all the nights before this.

He opened the door. He was ready for bed.

He probably shouldn't have been surprised by Flynn sitting by his window, but he was. "W-what are you doing here?" He was not ready to talk to him again yet. He needed more time.

Flynn still looked so tired. He was probably still not able to sleep in the castle after everything. It was hard not knowing who you could trust. "I thought I'd just stop by and see how you were doing. Judith said that you hadn't eaten dinner yet, so I brought something from the kitchen at the palace." He motioned to a pot sitting on the desk with a couple of bowls beside it.

Yuri knew that he wasn't being completely truthful, but he didn't press the situation. Flynn was having a hard enough time without him badgering him about it. He pulled the damp towel off his hair and threw it unceremoniously on the bed. Sitting down, he watched as Flynn fixed them each a bowl of pork miso soup. It would be some welcome warmth against the cold weather that was coming in. He received a bowl and nodded his thanks. He was hungry after all his fighting earlier that day.

They ate in silence. Neither knew what to say to the other. It was awkward and heavy, and it seemed like their moment earlier in the palace barracks was still a hanging burden between them.

"Thanks for dinner."

"It's nothing. Especially not compared to your cooking."

Flynn had always enjoyed his cooking, since as children Yuri was the only one who knew how. His adopted grandmother had given him a good foundation with some very basic recipes so that he could help her around the kitchen, and the innkeeper of the Comet taught him more and expanded his cooking knowledge when he was a little older. Every time Flynn tried to cook, he would nearly set the kitchen on fire or burn the food. It brought a small smile to his face thinking about those times when he would have to run in and extinguish the kitchen and chastise Flynn about being an idiot and then bandage his hands from the burns he received trying to cook for them.

He already knew that Flynn was going to be staying the night. He wasn't going to tell him to leave. Not that long ago, he needed Flynn, even if he didn't want to admit it, and now Flynn needed him. Maybe he still needed Flynn. He shook his head a little. Why wouldn't these thoughts just stop?

He blew out the candle that lit his room and lay down on the bed. Flynn just stared at the floor as if he wasn't sure what to do.

"Are you coming to bed or not?" He felt a little strange asking that.

"Yuri..."

"You can't sleep at the palace right?"

After a moment, the blond moved over him and lay down behind him. Flynn was nearly pressed up against him, but that couldn't be avoided. This tiny bed was really too small for both of them, but they had worked with less before. He was keeping his arms to himself, which surprised Yuri a bit. When they slept together as children, it was often wrapped up in each other's arms. Maybe Flynn was hesitant after the things that they said to each other earlier that day had proved so frustrating.

"Thank you," he murmured in the darkness.

* * *

Yuri's wet hair was in his face, but he didn't mind. The herbal scent of the soap he used was comforting, triggering memories of their childhood. He was snoring softly, curled up facing the door.

Flynn gingerly took a lock of Yuri's soft, slick hair between his fingers. If he was asleep, he couldn't object to a little touch. Cold crept into his extremities in spite of the blanket that was draped over them. He scooted a little closer to his dark haired friend's warmth until he was almost pressed up against him.

"Yuri?" His voice was barely a whisper in the dark.

The only reply was a snore.

Slowly, he reached one arm over Yuri's sleeping form and clasped it over him. There was no resistance. He buried his face in the crook of his friend's neck, letting himself be hidden in that wet, black, sweet smelling curtain of hair.

Yuri was finally getting back to normal. It was relieving to see him fighting and running and smirking again. He knew that soon Yuri would be leaving Zaphias once more, in search of the people who had done this to him, the people who threatened him, and the darkness threatening to consume Terca Lumireis once more. They would be pulled apart again, and if he couldn't make his dark haired friend understand, all hope for their relationship might be lost.

He didn't want their paths to drift any further apart. He didn't want to watch this star fizzle out and fade away.

* * *

Brave Vesperia was twinkling brightly above the city of Zaphias. They had spent a lot of time watching the stars lately from the now unused Sword Stair. They had been working on a more accurate star map than those previously produced. It was good to see Rita getting so involved in things again. It was still pretty obvious that she missed her blastia research.

She and Rita walked through the city hand in hand. It was dark and quiet, but she wasn't afraid. A little ways behind them was an Imperial Knight from Captain LeBlanc's brigade. He had been with them all day, but at such a distance they still had a degree of privacy. Rita didn't like it, but Estelle assured her that it was only because Flynn was concerned for her safety.

They had been down to the Lower Quarter every night now. She was glad that Yuri was starting to feel better. He was even able to get up and walk around. All that rest must have been doing him some good. She did feel a little guilty that she hadn't taken more day shifts watching over him. The others convinced her that they had things handled and that everything else she had been doing was more than enough. She didn't feel like she had been doing all the much. On the other hand, it had given her the chance to spend a lot of time with Rita, which she enjoyed. The mix of guilt and joy was confusing.

They reached the steps to Yuri's room, and she reluctantly let go of the mage's hand. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She was just going to check and see if he was okay, and then sing him to sleep.

Rita replied with a little nod, crossing her arms over her chest. She was acting impatient, but Estelle knew that she was worried about Yuri too.

She knocked softly on the door. She didn't want to wake him if he was already asleep.

There was no reply, so she slowly opened the door and peeked inside.

Through the darkness that filled that small room, she could see that Yuri was fast asleep in his bed. That was a relief. Right behind him though, she spotted a familiar fringe of blond hair. It was Flynn, his head nestled in the crook of Yuri's neck, one arm wrapped over him tightly.

She was in shock. Could they have felt something more for one another than a long, deep, brotherly friendship? Her face grew suddenly very hot. She felt like she was intruding on some private moment that neither wanted to be seen.

Estelle shut the door quietly and headed back down stairs. Her thoughts were racing. She knew that the two of them were close, but this close? Maybe she was just misunderstanding the situation. That had to be it, right? Neither seemed to have any romantic interest in anyone else, much less each other.

"What's wrong?" Rita asked, bearing the tiniest bit of concern.

"I-It's nothing!" She was bad at lying, especially when flustered.

"What? Did you catch Yuri and Flynn doing it or something?"

"Doing what?"

"N-never mind."

* * *

The mere emptiness of the bed woke him. The sheets behind him were still warm. He rolled over, curling himself around that barren warmth. Even though his bed was small, and he hated to admit it, it felt vacant without Flynn in it.

It was a little after dawn, and Yuri knew that he should get up and get breakfast and prepare for more training, but he just wanted to lay there a little longer. Those dark dreams were still raging in his head and this little bit of warmth provided him a brief, fleeting comfort. He felt that hollowness creep back into his chest. If it wasn't for this cursed heart, he might still have the strength to hold out. He could continue lying to himself that he didn't have any particularly loving or inconvenient feelings for the perfect, noble, and heroic man he called his best friend. He could continue thinking that the same man might not harbor the same feelings for him. He could be adamant in the fact that he would destroy everything that they had built and even Flynn's sweetest words couldn't convince him otherwise. He could continue to believe that he did not _need_ to be happy, and that he would only tarnish his best friend if he decided to be.

These reasons were slipping away from him. They sounded more like excuses now. If it was anything else, Yuri could have handled it with ease, but because it was Flynn and the emotional mess between them, it proved more difficult. His well-built walls were crumbling ever faster.

The warmth of the bed began to recede and he knew that he should get up and stop dwelling on this. He needed to focus on getting back to full strength. Judith and Karol had been working hard to train him out of Estelle and Flynn's view.

He decided that he was ready to start living again, but this was not living. He was caught somewhere between living and dying. When he lived, he was traveling and working and enjoying the life he had chosen for himself as a guild member, far away from the noble corruption of the Empire that Flynn was trying so hard to fix. Granted, life as a guild member was not glorious. He did not have the same rights as a citizen of the Empire would. Unlike anything else in his life, it had given him the power to _change_ things, even if the changes were so miniscule compared to what Flynn was doing.

He was almost ready to give up.

"Hey, kiddo."

That familiar, twangy voice broke him out of his thoughts. He was a little glad for that. Raven slid into the window easily, settling himself against the sill. Repede hopped in after him and headed immediately for his pillow in the corner near the door.

"Got some interestin' news for ya."

"What did you find out, Old Man?" At least this distraction would keep his mind off of Flynn.

"Most of the Council looked pretty clean, surprisingly. The problem is that most of them stand with the Head because he holds the cards. But Iskar, the Head Councilman, he's pretty fishy, and so are two of his little lackeys, Ciroal and Ruben. Iskar's got people comin' and goin' from his private home all the time. Coupla knights too, always in civies though."

"That is pretty interesting. Does Flynn know?"

"I gotta be a messenger too?"

"Just let him know." He couldn't bring himself to say that he didn't want to be bothered seeing Flynn. It was only half true.

"Alright alright." He slid half way out of the window. "Have fun trainin' today."

Yuri waved his hand weakly at him.

"You comin', pooch?"

Repede stood, shaking, and padded out the window after him. Yuri was alone once more.

* * *

Sodia was up out of bed, in spite of his numerous efforts to keep her there. Her arm was still in a sling looped around her neck and her head was still bandaged. She was lucky to have only suffered a mild concussion and a broken arm. He feared that her injuries were much worse. No matter what he said about her needing to rest, he was glad to have someone he could trust at his side once more.

"Sir, you have a visitor."

"Show them in." He didn't look up from the intimidating stack of paperwork stacked neatly on his desk that he wasn't really paying much attention to.

"Hey, Commandant!"

He turned. "Raven. Just the person I wanted to see."

Sodia stepped out and it was just himself and the scruffy man.

"Heard ya wanted to speak with me."

"Yes. I wanted to ask you to investigate an important matter for me, as a third party."

"Empire's got themselves enough spies, don't they?" He leaned against the doorframe, and looked back briefly as the door to his state room shut behind Sodia. He turned his attention back to the situation at hand.

"I don't want this getting out among the troops. Which is why I thought that you'd be best for the job."

"Sorry. I'm already employed."

That was a little disheartening, but maybe he could convince him still. He knew that Raven had been a double agent for the Empire while with the Union, even if it was against his will. He came off as harmless, but he knew how to read people and paid attention to every little detail. "I know that you don't owe me anything, but I'm quickly running out of people I can rely on. I'm not asking for you to work for free, of course. I can attempt to meet any reasonable request on your part."

"What I'm sayin' is the kid already has me lookin' inta things."

Flynn was taken-aback by this, his eyes widening a little in surprise. Yuri had already spoken with Raven regarding the events here at the palace and asked him to do some investigating? It made him smile a little that his friend was thinking about him. He felt a little relieved.

"Kid's got yer back."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. I'm not doin' it for you. Thank him."

"How is he?" He hadn't spoken to Yuri much last night. He was at a loss for words after the events earlier in the day.

Raven smiled a bit at him. "He's outside fighting monsters. He's improving every day."

He was really glad to hear that. Soon Yuri would be strong enough to fight him, and then move on. That worried him a little, though. It reminded him that Yuri would leave Zaphias, off in search of the newest scourge on the face of Terca Lumireis and they would be torn apart again. He felt a little selfish to be wanting him to stay, but he knew that Yuri would be Yuri and would be off doing things as soon as possible. He really wouldn't have it any other way.

"So what did ya think of the boy's dreams?"

He stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb. I know that you were the one in the window a few nights ago when he finally decided to talk about them."

"Does he know?"

"If he does, he's not telling."

Flynn couldn't forget what Yuri had reluctantly told him about those dreams. Hearing those disturbing things was like being in battle for the first time, hot adrenaline, coursing through his body and then suddenly like the aftermath, looking out over a field littered with bodies of the fallen, dark and deafeningly quiet. It was harrowing and sad. "It was like a warrior recounting a battle, not as a hero, but as one of the fallen."

"That sounds about right." He nodded a bit, stroking his chin. "Don't worry. That warrior still has some fight in him."


	34. Chapter 34 - Vigil

Author's Notes: So apparently the pun counter is up to 3 or 4 about now. See if you can spot it. When I write them, they are really completely unintentional.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 34 - Vigil

Fighting monsters was becoming easier and easier. The local ones barely put up a fight against him anymore. Wolves and Filifolia and Minicoid were not enough of a challenge anymore. He wanted to square off against one of the Giganto monster, but Judith and Karol wouldn't allow it. He did, however, spar with Karol for a while, which was interesting. The boy was tough and strong but lacked speed. Yuri beat the child, but the results were closer than they had been before. When he asked Judith to fight, she politely declined. She would have been a challenge for him.

"Hey, Old Man."

"Hm?" Raven looked up at him with one eye from between the roots of the tree where he had been watching Yuri's training from the shade.

"Spar with me. I need some practice."

"Itching for a little action?"

"These monsters are too easy. You'll give me a challenge."

He spit out of the bit of straw he was holding between his lips and rolled into a stand. "You'll hafta go easy on this old man. I'm not as tough as I used to be."

"Whatever you say. Just don't go too easy on me."

They walked out into the middle of the field and Yuri waited while the scruffy man stretched. His 'old man' act was cute, but Yuri knew that underneath his facade, was a fighter and the soldier through and through. He wasn't even that old. It was all just an act. Even still, he played along.

"Why don't we make things interesting with a little wager?"

"Sure. What did you have in mind?"

"If I win, ya'll do ten laps around the city. And then buy me dinner."

"What if I win?"

"Dunno. Whaddya want?"

Yuri thought momentarily. "Okay. If I win, _you'll_ do ten laps around the city and buy _me_ dinner."

"Ya gotta deal!"

Raven had speed and distance that Yuri couldn't easily overtake. Even if he managed to get within range for the old man's bow to be useless, he still had to deal with the formidable dagger that he kept on hand. Whenever he was able to get a few hits in, Raven was quick to put distance between them. In spite of his age, he was spry and swift.

It was nearly half an hour before the fight ended with the two of them nearly collapsed in the field.

"Not bad... for an... old man..." He was sweating and panting.

"Not bad... for a... kid..." Raven wasn't in any better of a shape. Yuri was sure his blastia heart was working just as hard.

It took him a long moment to catch his breath. That was definitely worth the challenge of fighting someone with a long ranged series of attacks. He was more versatile on the battlefield than Karol. "Looks like it was a draw then. No laps for either of us."

"Guess again, boys." Judith was standing with Repede to one side of the field where she had watching their duel.

Just as Raven was recovering, Repede lunged at them, barking.

"I think Repede is telling you both to do laps." Her smiled was near devilish. "It'll be good for both of you."

"Judith dear, this is not okay!"

The huge dog barked some more, and charged them, sending them running back into town. Through the Lower Quarter and upward they were chased by the angry dog. Yuri had really had enough of this game of chase over the past week and a half, but he didn't dare try to stop running from the dog. He knew very well that those teeth were sharp and if Repede felt like it, he would get bitten.

Halfway through their fifth lap, Repede started to slow a little bit.

"Repede..." Raven huffed. "You wouldn't really... bite this old man... would you? After all... we've been through?"

The dog hit a dead standstill in the middle of the street. He was staring them down with his single eye. For just a moment, Raven and Yuri were able to pause to take a breath, wondering if they were off the hook.

The warrior dog whipped his head up and let out a long, bellowing howl.

Before they could react, dogs from all over the city poured out of every house and alleyway. They all assembled around Repede, a pack as big as a brigade of knights. They realized that they were not in the clear. In fact, things were about to get hairy. Repede barked as if issuing commands to his gathered comrades and then the brigade of hounds was after them as well.

They swore, being forced to run faster than before with dozens of nipping mouths at their heels, dogs barking and baying behind them.

The sun was setting when they finally finished their laps, their aching feet falling out of the running rhythm into clumsy, heavy steps. All the dogs came up, one by one to lick them, wagging their tails, before returning to their homes. Each bowed respectfully to Repede as they left, and he nodded at each of them. He sat down to watch them as they struggled to catch their breath. He let out a snort, as if laughing at them.

"Remind me... to give Judith... a piece of... my mind."

"You don't... have any to... spare... Old Man."

"That's not nice, kid."

"Sometimes... the truth hurts." His heart was warm and glowing, but it seemed to be working all right after their extensive run. It only sputtered a little bit under the pressure, but it wasn't enough to worry him. The run had been a strain on it, but he knew that muscles had to be strained in order to make them stronger, and this blastia heart couldn't be much different. After a few moments to recover, he felt better. The stress from the night before seemed like it had washed out of him. "How about that dinner?"

"You didn't beat me."

"You didn't beat me either."

"Fair enough."

They walked to the Comet. It was busy this time of night, with people from all over the Lower Quarter stopping in for dinner and drinks. They squeezed through the crowd to the table in the back corner where they wouldn't be bothered much. Hanks stopped briefly as they were sitting down, saying that he was glad to see Yuri back in town and telling him, as usual, to stay out of trouble. This was a warning that Yuri gladly ignored most of the time, but the thought was appreciated. The innkeeper brought them a beef bowl each and a mug of ale. It was overly sweet, watered down ale that was common among the bars of the Lower Quarter.

"Lowell, what's with you lately? You're getting visitors all hours of the night." She nearly slammed their bowls down, as surly as she could possibly be. Yuri knew that no matter how annoyed she seemed with him, she always meant well.

"Sorry. It won't be going on much longer."

"Even the Commandant comes to visit. I suppose it's to be expected, being friends with a scoundrel like you."

He smiled a bit. Even after their childhood together, people were still surprised that he and Flynn were friends. The differences between them were staggering to say the least, and they really had very little in common other than a shared history, and even that was not very similar.

She walked off, pushing her way through customers, shouting and swearing. She was a piece of work, but Yuri knew that she cared.

"So, yer trainin' seems ta be goin' well."

"Yeah. I'm getting stronger every day."

"You'll be back to yer old self in no time. I'm impressed."

"It's because of everyone's help."

The long moment of quiet that followed was agonizing as they ate.

"I've been meaning to ask you something, Old Man."

"What's that?"

"Why did you ask to come to Vonael with us in the first place?"

The look that crossed Raven's face was like that of an animal caught in a trap. "Might as well be straight with you. The Union was hearing rumors about some shady activity going on in the Empire's new colony. Harry asked me to take a look into things for him. But I guess you figured that out, huh?"

"It wasn't super obvious, but I knew that you had to have a reason."

He shifted in his seat a little, staring down into his half eaten beef bowl. "I'm sorry that I kept you kids in the dark about it. Had I been honest about things, everything might have happened differently."

"Don't worry about it. What happened, happened. We can't change that now." It was hard for him to not be at least a little mad, but Raven was not the person to take his anger out on. Even if he had told them, he doubted that it would have changed the things that happened too much. It was better that he bear this burden than the person it was intended for.

Saying that didn't seem to ease Raven's conscience, but he nodded a little. After a few more quiet moments of eating. He stood.

"Well, I'm gonna hit the hay. You should too." He walked past him, clapping a hand down on one of his shoulders. "We believe in you, Yuri."

"Thanks, Old Man. That means a lot."

He slipped through the crowded bar and out the door.

Yuri finished eating, as the innkeeper returned with his bill.

"Nice of you to buy someone else dinner." She slapped it down and collected the dishes and was off again before he could realize it.

"Wait... what?" He looked at the ticket. Two ales and two beef bowls. He wanted to be angry that the old man stiffed him over dinner, but he didn't really have it in him. He had other plans.

He left the gald for the meal on the table and headed out of the Comet. Repede was outside waiting for him.

"You up for a little snooping?"

The dog let out a short growl in agreement.

"You know the way?"

Repede padded a few steps ahead of him and looked back to make sure that Yuri would follow. He easily strode up next to the dog, passing a hand up his purple back.

"Let's go."

* * *

Crouched in a tree over the main parlor window didn't give him as much of a spying advantaged as he would have liked. He had been in the walled garden for a little over an hour and seen only the maids come and go from the room where the Council Head Iskar sat reading something that he could not see from his position. His current stake out was not bringing him much evidence.

Flynn was not the most apt climber, but it was still easier than getting into Yuri's room. Not that he wanted to think about him right now. He wanted to go down and see him again, but he felt like he was being a burden on Yuri, who had still not recovered completely from his recent ordeal. The last thing Yuri needed was to be burdened. He needed time to heal and maybe, Flynn hoped, sort out his feelings. But realistically, he knew that this was Yuri, and he was probably so busy fighting monsters that he hadn't thought of anything else.

"Hey."

He whipped around to the branch that split from the trunk of the next tree over so fast that his footing slipped.

Yuri caught him by the back of his coat, and pulled him back up in the nick of time. "What the hell are you doing, Flynn?" His voice was a bare whisper just over the chill breeze moving through the trees.

He steadied himself against the trunk of the tree. "I could ask you the same thing."

"A little bird told me that Council Head Iskar's fishy, so Repede and I came to check it out."

Flynn looked down briefly to see Repede sniffing around the bushes near the window. Raven must have given him the same information that he received about the shady Councilman's dealings with two other Councilmen and a handful of plain clothed knights. He assumed that Yuri being here meant that he was ready for action once more even though he had not officially completed the training program designed by Karol and Judith. The Krityan had informed him earlier that day that he was coming close to the final duel, but wasn't there just yet.

"Yuri, why are you here?"

"Just keeping an eye on this Councilman for myself." The sword in his hand told a different story.

"You need to focus on healing. I will take care of this."

"Whatever happened to us being unbeatable together?"

Flynn sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation. "Yuri, please listen to me just this once. Go home. This is a delicate matter and cannot be handled with 'vigilante justice.'"

Yuri's eyes shone brightly, staring him down. Of course he did not like the idea of being forced to leave. He understandably was ready for revenge at this point, but he was not done with his training. Even after what happened, revenge was not in order. Justice was in order. Flynn would not back down from this. If he had to arrest Yuri, he would do it.

"Fine." His gloved hand moved to grip the front of his shirt over his heart. "You better get this figured out fast, Flynn. I won't let _this_ happen to anyone else. If you can't handle things, I will."

"You can't take the law into your own hands."

"I'll do whatever I have to, to keep this world safe."

He knew that Yuri was angry, and with a reason. This was not just an atrocity he witnessed others bear, but it affected him on a very personal level. He had every right to be angry, but righteous indignation did not put him above the law. No one was above the law. Even though Estelle and Ioder had pardoned his previous crimes, he would not want to go unpunished for things he had done or the things that he hadn't done yet.

"Yuri, go home."

He watched those knuckles clench until they turned white. It was no secret from the look on his face that Yuri wanted to hit him, but was holding back for whatever reason. He turned, and dropped out of the tree easily. Flynn followed. He wanted to make sure that Yuri went home.

As soon as he had climbed down, Yuri grabbed him roughly and punched him in the face. He should have expected that. It knocked him back a couple of feet, but he recovered quickly. It hurt; he could tell that Yuri was almost back to his full strength.

"Why did you wait?"

"It would have made too much noise if I knocked you out of that tree." He turned his back to him, confident in the fact that Flynn would not hit him in retaliation. Repede returned from his patrol of the bushes, and wuffed at them softly. "Find anything interesting?"

The dog growled.

"Please trust me."

Yuri glanced at him over his shoulder. Those eyes were piercing. "Come on, Repede. We'll let Flynn handle things for now." Quietly, the two crept out of the manor house garden. He listened to them walk down the paved street on the opposite side of the wall before he climbed back up into the tree.

"Kid's got a temper."

That was the second time he had almost fallen out of the tree. He managed to catch his footing better this time after finding himself face to face with Raven.

"Sorry ta sneak up an ya."

"It's fine."

"Ya got a little something..." The scruffy man gestured to his own lip.

Flynn touched his mouth, only to find that he was bleeding. He wiped his mouth and sighed. Why was nearly every interaction with Yuri this difficult? If he didn't get hit, he got yelled at, or they ended up being unable to talk to each other at all either because of anger or the other awkward exchanges between them. Sometimes he wished that he had never confessed his feelings. Maybe things would have been easier.

"Anything new?"

"Nothing of note, but I haven't been here that long."

"Go get some rest. I'll take care of things here."

"Raven..."

"Trust me."

It was a little humbling to have your own words thrown back at you.

"Don't forget. Yuri's got your back. You've got other things to handle right now. Leave the espionage to me." Raven's facade was slipping and traces of Schwann were showing through once more. "I'll report in if I find out anything."

"Thank you." Flynn was resigned to this. He was not the stealthiest. He needed to be able to trust others in order to get this whole mess sorted out, even if his trust in everyone was currently on the rocks. He slid quietly out of the tree and headed back to the palace.


	35. Chapter 35 - Nightmares

Author's Notes: I swear that this is the last dream for a while. I know there have been a lot of them, but they served a point, each in its own way.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 35 - Nightmares

A voice called out to him from the darkness: cold, stern and authoritative. He knew this voice and it woke him with a jolt. Clad in red, black, and silver was Commandant Alexei, standing over him, red eyes locked on Yuri's and long, thin smirk stretched across his face. He reached down and grabbed him by the throat, thumb pressed hard into the side of Yuri's windpipe. That hand was like a vice, squeezing the air from his lungs.

Alexei forced him to his wobbling feet and after a moment of breathlessness, just as his vision started to blur, he let go.

Yuri staggered, trying to catch his breath, fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins like fire. He drew his sword and tried to strike. The Second Star was gone and the notched wooden sword from his childhood connected with Alexei's left shoulder and shattered. The Commandant was unfazed. He held something out to Yuri. Round, slimy, and dripping with darkness was the black apple.

He tried to back away, but couldn't move. His arms were pulled behind him and his ankles together, bound by writhing, oozing darkness. It crept up his legs to his knees and up his arms to his elbows, binding him so tightly that he could feel the pressure grinding his bones together.

Alexei grabbed him by his hair, tangling his armored fingers in it, and yanking his head back to looked up at him. He forced the apple into Yuri's mouth as he tried to scream.

It choked him up, the slime crawling down his throat, hot and sticky. It closed off his airway as it continued to slide. The silver haired Commandant pressed his mouth against Yuri's in a rough kiss and slipped a hand between his thighs, seizing him tightly.

He fought to get away as coldness crept into his body, numbing him.

"It is too late now. We are bound together and this is something that you will never escape." Those words burned in his ears once more. "I will destroy everything that you love."

Alexei was gone, but the coldness did not recede nor the darkness holding him in place. The scene before him changed. He was standing on a wooden platform, tied to a stake before a huge crowd of people. Estelle, Karol, Judith, Raven, Rita, and Repede were there, staring up at him with eyes filled with burning hatred and encompassing darkness. The people booed and hissed and shouted at him, throwing stones and insults.

"Filth!"

"Mongrel!"

"How could you do this?!"

"We thought you loved him!"

"There's no place in this world for someone like you!"

Those words stung like reopened wounds. What were they talking about?

Yuri looked out over the crowd. Zaphias was burning in the back, and even further beyond that he could see the field that he had dreamed of before. There was a single freshly dug grave, with a stately, carved headstone with a sword emblazoned on it and crowned with flowers. The name on that grave filled his eyes with salty, hot tears. How could this have happened?

"They're right, Yuri Lowell." Like Alexei's voice, he knew this one. He had heard it numerous times on his journey to save Terca Lumireis. It was the voice of a madman, someone who hurt others without a second thought, sharp and cackling. "You were right too. You have become the destroyer of everything that you loved!"

A long, sharp tongue crept a wet trail up his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. He turned to face this person, and face him he did indeed.

A series of short, haphazard stitches attacked the head of his magenta and blond haired enemy to his own shoulder. Tongue wagging and eyes wide and wild was Zagi. That only made him want to scream. He tried to get away as the tongue crept up his neck once more and around his ear.

He called out for anyone to help, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Everyone who knew him, those of the Lower Quarter and those from his own close friends only looked at him in disgust. He continued to struggle as Zagi taunted him further. Finally, he was able to break his arms free from the darkness that had been holding them. He clawed violently at his neck with both hands, tearing apart flesh and sutures with his fingernails.

Zagi's cackling never ceased, screaming in his ears about how much he enjoyed it when Yuri fought back and when he hurt him.

Ashes from the fiery city spread through the field in the distance. The crowd around the stake cheered and cried out in joy as the fire spread up the wooden platform, the heat licking at his body like a thousand fiery, hateful tongues. He thought once more of the rough touches from Alexei and his cold, hard words whispered in his ear. The flames of destruction engulfed him.

* * *

He woke with a scream, still clawing frantically at his neck and shoulders, sitting straight as a board. His head collided with something hard in his path, and sent Flynn a couple of steps backward, grasping his head.

"Ow...!"

So that's what he hit, and now his head hurt, too.

"Flynn, you have to stop doing that." His sneaking in during the night and surprising him as he woke from these dark dreams was becoming very old very fast. He tried to joke about it, but his voice fell flat. "Watching me sleep is creepy, you know."

"Are you alright?" He seemed to have recovered from the headbutt pretty quickly.

Yuri had hardly noticed his half torn open shirt, and the markings from where his fingernails raked bloodied trails across his neck and shoulders. They stung slightly and the blood was warm against his skin. "I-I'm fine."

"You were having a nightmare, weren't you?"

"Pfftt. Why would I be having a nightmare?"

"You need to talk to someone about this." He moved to the basin and returned with a wet cloth. He pulled aside a bit of Yuri's shirt and mopped up the bloody trails on his neck.

He hissed. "There's nothing to talk about."

"If not me, then someone, please."

"I'm telling you, there's nothing wrong!" He didn't mean to lash out, but the horror of those dreams was still fresh in his mind. He turned to push Flynn away, but stopped. Flynn pulled his hand back, a bit of blood staining his fingertips from where he had been tending to him. He stopped as Yuri grabbed his hand, staring at it.

There was blood on Flynn's hands. His blood. He never wanted to see any blood on those hands, much less his own blood. He pushed Flynn back so hard that he nearly threw himself into the wall.

"Yuri?" Those blue eyes were once more filled with pity and sadness.

"Just go away." He calmed a little bit, but those dreams were still haunting him. This one had been the worst yet, even though he felt like he was doing so well during the day. They were seeping into his everyday life even worse than before.

Flynn sat down on the bed. "I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on."

He was silent, even as Flynn's still bloodied hand touched his own. He flinched but could not bring himself to pull away. That touch drove back the numbing cold still lingering in his limbs.

"You can't keep hiding this. It's not good for you. And besides..." He paused, and looked like he might regret the next few things that came out of his mouth. "...It's not like I don't know about the other nightmares you've had."

"What?"

He sighed, looking away. "A few nights ago, when you thought you were talking to Raven in the dark... it was really me in the window."

He really should have known. He wanted to be angry, but what good would that have done? What good would hiding these things further from the one person who already knew about them do? He still wanted to resist, just as he wanted to in the emotional mess between them. These dreams had been _about_ Flynn, which made talking about them just that much harder.

"Yuri, please..."

He bit his lip before finally recounting the harrowing details of his most recent nightmare. Even the thought of it caused a shiver as deep as his bones to run through his body. He couldn't bear to look at Flynn as he spoke, instead choosing to stare down at the bed and his hands that he couldn't keep from shaking.

Flynn wrapped his arms around him, one hand venturing up to stroke his hair, pressing their heads together.

For a long moment, he only held him. It was as though he couldn't think of how else to respond to those horrifying dreams. Yuri didn't mind. He wasn't sure that he was ready for words after all that. As much as he hated to admit it, this was comforting, even if it did remind him of the times when he was a child, and his grandmother would stroke his hair and hold him after silly child-like nightmares. Those nightmares paled in comparison to these.

He was so tired all of a sudden. Admitting those things on top of everything else from the past several days had taken so much out of him. His emotions and strength drained out of him and all that remained was the warmth of Flynn's arms.

"You can go back to sleep if you want to. I'll stay here and wake you up if you start to have another."

This was an especially tempting offer after Yuri found himself stifling a yawn. He nodded and lay back down, setting his head on the nearest thing of comfort. He noticed briefly that this happened to be Flynn's lap, but he was too tired to move and the warmth and comfort that he had been feeling made it too difficult. Flynn didn't seem to mind much either. He pulled the blanket back over Yuri and moved a little hair out of his face. His sword hand took Yuri's hand in his own, squeezing gently. He wanted to move, to roll away and shift uncomfortably back into his sweat soaked sheets. He wasn't enjoying every moment of that comfort. He wasn't lying to himself.

"Sweet dreams."


	36. Chapter 36 - Family

Author's Note: This chapter marks the actual halfway point through the fic (if you think I'm kidding, _I'm not._). **Also, M rating starts next chapter (37)**.

* * *

Chapter 36 - Family

He was so weary for some reason. He asked Karol and Judith if he could take the day off, and they obliged. He needed a little time to himself to work things out. He needed time to think.

Yuri walked through the Lower Quarter toward one of the furthest walls. It was a little ways over the creek that ran by the Comet. He carried with him a small basket and a bouquet of yellow and orange lilies. This area was marred with short stone memorials, or wood for those who could not afford anything better. He was looking for one in particular. He knew where it was. He had been there many times, although not for a long while now. He moved toward a grave in the very back, nearly crushed up against the city wall.

It was marked with a small, hand carved, wooden plank. The name read 'Agafina Lowell' and was followed by two dates nearly seventy years apart. He remembered how his fingers bled as he had carved that marker.

The tiny, grassy grave was that of his grandmother.

He remembered her fondly. Many of the things that had happened in his life, happened because of her. He was able to have a chance at life. She had been the first kind person that he could ever remember. She had taken him off the streets of the Lower Quarter, without any reason that she would ever disclose, and given him the first home he had ever known. He had never known his parents, and he couldn't miss what he had never known. He had always been told that they died in the war and that there were no other relatives to care for him. She was the first person to show him that there was goodness in the world. She raised him and shared with him her last name. When you had nothing else, a last name of your own meant a lot.

He didn't think much about her anymore, but she always lingered in the back of his mind. He was not haunted by her memory like Flynn had been haunted by his father's for so long. He had come to terms with her death long ago. She had been old. He knew even in childhood that she wouldn't be long for the world. He was saddened by her death, it hurt him deeply, but she went in her sleep without suffering and he was glad for it. He sat by her bedside every moment that he could, trying to make her comfortable for her inevitable end. He scrounged together all of the money that he had to get her a doctor, but there was nothing that could be done. She was old and frail and it was her time.

"Hey, Grams." He couldn't help but smile when he thought about her. "I know it's been a long time since I've visited." He crouched and set down the flowers he had brought with him. They were her favorite lilies.

He listened to the quiet of the cemetery around him for a few moments. It was not as unnerving as one might think. It was calm and filled him with the same feeling. A chill autumn wind drifted through, stinging him to his bones even through the heavy coat he wore.

"Look how far I've come. I'm not a little boy chasing to keep up with Flynn anymore. Soon I'll be just as strong as he is again. Just as strong as I was. I know that you know about what happened a year ago, Grams. Even with some of the awful things I've done, I can only hope you're proud of me.

"I made you a cake. I can still make it with love, even with this false heart. Just like you taught me." He pulled out the piece of the cake that he made that morning. He let the others have the rest of it, but he reserved this piece especially for her. He set it next to the flowers. "I've been thinking a lot about Flynn, Grams. How could I not? We've been together almost as long as I can remember. He makes this heart feel less hollow."

It was like she was only person he could talk to in all honesty without judgment.

"I'm in love with him. I have been since we were kids, and now knowing that he feels the same, the weight of everything I've done presses on me so much that it's making me uneasy. I don't know if I can return those those honest and pure feelings without ruining him. This isn't the first time I've felt dirty and unworthy of another human's affections. But you taught me otherwise. Can I still love him without tarnishing him?

"But if he feels the same, why am I holding back? Why can't I just let myself be happy? I know what the future might bring for us. I've seen it in my dreams. But you always said that I should try to be happy _now_ and not worry too much about the future. I want to be happy, Grams. I want to be happy with him."

The wind picked up just a little, rustling the leaves of the trees around the graveyard.

"Should I just give in? Why have I hesitated for so long? What if Judith was right? What if I don't take this chance and then he's gone? Even a murderer like me deserves to be a little happy, right?"

Yuri sighed, a bit relieved. Talking this out was really helping clear the muddle of thoughts clouding his brain. He already felt a little bit better, like the weights on his chest were lifting and he was finally discovering the truth that he should have known all along. "Am I worrying too much? Flynn is such a straight arrow that even I wouldn't corrupt him. I have to believe in the strength of his integrity. If I can do that then... then I can be happy. I just have to make sure that he knows, too. He needs to know that the paths that we're walking may make us enemies in the future, and I hope it never comes to that, but I also know it could happen. If he understands, then I can finally give in."

He stood, smiling. The cold wind didn't even bother him. He felt so warm inside, the same comforting warmth that he knew as a child, the same that he knew when he was with Flynn.

"Thanks for listening, Grams." He gently pulled the cloth wrapping off of the piece of wood that he had been carrying around. "I made this for you. I thought that you deserved something a little bit nicer than this hastily carved marker. I hope you like it."

Yuri pulled the old wooden plank out of the ground, taking with it the vines that were spreading up and over it. In its place, he put the one that he carved for her recently. It was a vast improvement. Granted, his wood carving skills were not anything spectacular, but all the lettering on this one was straight and even and carefully carved. He had even managed to seal it with a little bit of lacquer to keep it from getting damaged in the weather. He read it aloud.

"Agafina Lowell. Born _ Died _. She had more kindness than this world deserved."

* * *

Day after day of training had really done wonders for him. It had been nearly a month since his return to Zaphias, broken and weak, and he was already fighting his fellow party members on par with their level. Soon, he would be as good as new. This blastia heart had its problems, but maybe it wasn't so bad. It still felt strange, but the sound of it didn't bother him as much anymore and it hadn't seized up in nearly a week. He was glad for that. He was glad for his friends and their willingness to help him through this difficult time, even if he hadn't wanted the help four weeks before. Together, they had all helped him recover. Even Flynn had helped. The ways that he helped were small, but felt just as important to him as the help that Karol, Judith, and Repede were doing with his training, and Raven with his eagle eyed observations of the rest of the news in the capital. He couldn't deny the comfort that being near his oldest and dearest friend brought.

He didn't want to deny these feelings that burned in his chest any longer. The training was helping to clear his head of the cobwebs that had collected since his horrifying surgery. Even the events of his most recent nightmare had made him rethink all of his reasons, his excuses, one more time. Maybe he was ready to stop living with these excuses that burdened him and give in to just a little bit of happiness. A little bit couldn't destroy either of them.

Just one night. That's all that he promised himself. One night to get Flynn out of his system. He knew that even if it was just once, it would be himself who wouldn't be able to stop. He had to take the chance that it might be the case this time. Maybe if he gave in just once then he'd believe in his reasons once more. He knew that was a lie.

Yuri had come so close to death that now he wanted to live. Living meant making mistakes and dealing with them, being happy in the moment and not worrying so much about the future. After his worst nightmare yet, Flynn had assured him that those things would never come to pass, although Yuri knew that there was still a chance, albeit slim. That was something that he needed Flynn to understand for the future if this was going to work at all.

"You were a bit distracted today."

"Huh?" He hadn't noticed that he had finished his beef bowl and was ringing the edge of the dish with his finger.

Judith and Karol were standing over him. "What are you thinking about?"

He waved a hand at her. "Nothing important."

"Well, you're done with your training today. Why don't you go get some rest?"

"Judith and I think you're ready to take your final test!"

"That's great, boss." He smiled. "When are we doing it?" He was actually excited about it. It would mean that his training was through and he could go back to doing the things that needed to be done.

"Tomorrow!" It was nice to see Karol so enthusiastic once more. Everyone seemed to be in a lighter spirit as he healed. They all really had been worried.

"Great. What's it gonna be?"

"That's a secret. Suffice to say that it'll be your biggest challenge yet." Judith claimed that she was bad at lying, but she certainly wasn't bad at hiding things. Lies by omission were still lies. "In the meantime, you should go home and get plenty of rest for tomorrow. We want you to be at your strongest."

"All right, all right." He sighed. "I'll head up to bed, then. Guess I'll see you guys bright and early." He stood, leaving the money for his meal on the table.

"Good night!"

Yuri smiled. Things were finally starting to get back to normal.

He left the crowded tavern and turned the corner to head upstairs. Winter was almost here. It was even colder now than it had been, so much so that he could see his breath hanging in the air as clouds of steam.

He would be back in Dahngrest soon, where the winters were less harsh and more temperate. It rarely snowed there, not that he minded the snow. It reminded him of childhood days spent playing and nights trying not to freeze. Of course these thoughts brought him back to Flynn. It seemed like almost everything did lately. So much had changed between them since his return to Zaphias. At first, Yuri resisted the change. Even while suffering, he had tried to bait Flynn into an argument, although that had been mostly to get the anger lingering heavy inside of him out against the only person that he could really be fully honest with. He allowed Flynn to see him vulnerable. He was the first person that he _let_ see the blastia heart beating in his chest, even if the others had seen it before. He let Flynn cry for him, in a way that he never had before, in a way that he couldn't do for himself. He let Flynn be gentle with him and shared a tiny bit of the burden that he had been carrying with him. He let Flynn hold him while he slept and he always felt better for it. He hated to admit it, but Flynn drove that awful hollow feeling out of his chest and made him feel at least a little normal again.

But he had also done things for Flynn that he had not in a long time. He held Flynn, even though his own arms felt so weak in comparison. He asked for favors from people on Flynn's behalf, even though he knew that Flynn could handle himself. He shared deep, dark dreams with Flynn that he shared with no other, the memory of them causing him to shiver. He had let Flynn into his heart and he was finally ready to throw away those excuses that he had clung so desperately to in order to keep them apart.

"How could I have ever thought something so stupid as 'I'll tarnish him'?" It had been a valid fear, even if he didn't want to admit it. "Flynn has integrity. So much so that even my bloodied hands couldn't stain him."

He stepped to the edge of the dock that hung out over the creek. The stars were shining in the reflection of the dark water below, and up above, those same stars shone still. Brave Vesperia, the brightest star in the night sky, even seemed to be giving him his blessing.

How long had he lived denying himself happiness?

Yuri had known for years the great things that would await Flynn, and the dark path that he would follow in contrast. He had come to terms with the idea that once Flynn had founded the new Empire, a beautiful and pure and truly noble place, that there would be no need for dark and bloodied Yuri. But now, he didn't want to believe that there would never be a place for him. He wanted to believe that maybe the world might, even in a tiny way, need the things that he could do that no one else could. Maybe that wasn't very hopeful. That would mean that there would still be darkness in the world, and that one day his name may become a notorious blemish on the history of Terca Lumireis, but it would always have been for the good of everything.

* * *

He hadn't expected to run into Judith on his way out of the palace, but he supposed that he shouldn't have been surprised. She hadn't reported to him yet about Yuri's progress for the day like she had over the past three weeks.

"Ah, Flynn. Just the person I wanted to see."

"What can I do for you?"

"I came to tell you that Yuri's test is tomorrow, so be ready."

"I will." He thought it was close at hand now with Yuri doing better every time he saw him.

"I don't suppose you were on your way down to see him, were you?" She asked, but looked as though she already knew the answer to that question.

"I am, actually." As an afterthought he added, "I think seeing him the night before our duel would reinforce my confidence about being able to fight him."

She nodded, and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't wear him out. I don't mind you riling him up a little bit to make things interesting, but we need him at his peak tomorrow." The look that her crimson eyes shot him showed that she was not talking about arguing with him.

He blushed slightly. He wasn't sure what their talking tonight could lead to, but he hoped for a resolution in their stalemated relationship. He wanted a happy ending for both of them, in spite of Yuri's reasons why they couldn't be together. "Y-Yes. Of course."

"Have a good night." Judith smiled and turned back toward the Public Quarter, and then as quickly as she had appeared, she disappeared into the dimly lit streets.

Flynn brushed that slightly strange encounter off, chalking it up to Judith just knowing anything and everything so that there was really no point trying to disguise the truth from her. He continued down to the Lower Quarter. Unlike the several times over the past few weeks, this distance seemed like nothing. Before he knew it, he was at the steps leading up to Yuri's room. There was a light in the window from the one candle he left burning when he was awake at night. A tiny bit of light to drive away the darkness.

He took a deep breath. Tomorrow, unbeknownst to Yuri, they would fight.


	37. Chapter 37 - Together

Author's Note: This is the first chapter that actually deserves the 'M' rating I put on this fic. This is the first time I'd written an adult scene is quite a long time, so I'm sorry if it's weird or not eloquent. (y6.6y) Also, there's a little note at the end, a bit I wanted to keep in but was just too punny to keep in and keep the scene mostly seriously.

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 37 - Together

He decided that after his final test tomorrow, he would finally talk to Flynn about this. He was ready for it all to be sorted out.

A knock at the door broke the silence of his thoughts. It was probably just Estelle, coming by for her nightly visit to sing him to sleep. The song had really grown on him. Something about it seemed so familiar, but he couldn't place it.

"Come on in."

Flynn stepped in, shutting the door behind him. Maybe talking about this would be unavoidable tonight. If that was the case, thnn fine. He was tired of holding out. He was ready for a resolution. He wanted his one night, and then for all of this to be over.

"You're a little late for dinner."

The blond smiled, looking a little relieved. The sarcasm in his tone was steadily returning.

"My landlady's tired of you coming by at all hours to see 'a scoundrel like me.'"

"I'm glad to see you're doing better." He sat down on the bed. "Is it alright for me to stay?"

"Have I ever said no?" He yawned and stretched, his toes curling against the metal frame of his bed. He watched from the corner of his eye as Flynn pulled his boots off in an orderly fashion, setting them next to Yuri's on the floor. Flynn's sword was placed to lean against the wall, parallel to his own.

Flynn sat there on the edge of the bed for a moment, looking down at him, and Yuri looking back. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but he was biting his lower lip like he was stumbling for the words.

"Yuri?"

Estelle's voice came from just beyond the door, startling both of them.

"Yeah?"

"I thought I'd let you know I was here before I started singing."

"Thanks."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Estelle."

The blond sighed and flopped down next to him. His words must have been lost in the surprise. Slowly, with the greatest of apprehensions, he tested reaching his arm over Yuri. Yuri didn't fuss or fight back or push him away. He wanted to see where this was going. After a moment, Flynn tightened his embrace, pressing his head into Yuri's shoulder.

He could have just been ill at ease and in need of some comfort at this moment or he could have been testing the boundaries of their relationship. If he needed comfort, then Yuri was here for him, but if it was the other, he would try to wait until after his final test. He had a lot of things to take care of right now, and he wanted to get them done right, one at a time.

_Heads or tails, You and I_

_Light and dark, Ups and downs_

_What has been in the mere goal? What's there to divide us?_

_If you're hurt, cry and say 'can't you see you're my other half?'_

As Estelle sang, that embrace tightened even more, until it was becoming difficult for Yuri to breathe.

"Uh, Flynn...?"

There was no response.

"You're... ah... holding a little tight there..."

He eased a little bit, his face still hidden in Yuri's hair, warm against his neck.

"What's wrong?"

"I-It's nothing."

It dawned on him. He had never noticed before that the lyrics to the song that Estelle was singing sounded familiar. "Flynn... did you write that song?"

"It's not like I intended it to be a song or anything!" He blurted out. "I wrote it... a little over a year ago. Right after the events at the Shrine of Zaude."

There really was no way he could avoid this any longer. He just wanted to be happy and with Flynn. Even a murderer like himself deserved that much, right?

"A few weeks ago, when you first visited me, what did you mean by 'I was afraid of losing you again?'" He had never asked about what happened after his near demise there, although he wondered. All he was told was that everyone was looking for him, including Flynn, up out of bed even before his own injuries had healed. "What happened while I was unconscious after Zaude?"

"I looked everywhere for you. I was terrified that I had lost you before I could tell you how I felt. I felt like I kept doing stupid things my whole life to drive us apart, and then you were suddenly gone." He swallowed hard. "I was so afraid. I died inside at the idea that you were... I was planning on fulfilling our dream, though, moving on empty and lost in the world without you in it. Yuri, I've never thought of a future without you there."

Yuri stroked his blond hair back a little bit. He wasn't sure what to say.

"I couldn't live in a world without you. There will always be a place for you if I have anything to do with it."

"I won't dirty your hands? I can't be absolved of the sins I've committed."

"I know. And I accept that our paths are different. You're stuck doing what no one else wants to do."

"And you're the one doing what no one else can."

"I'm willing to follow these paths wherever necessary and do whatever I have to, to make our dream come true."

"Even if that means we could be enemies in the future?" He had to make sure that Flynn understood what could happen if they continued on their paths, and if they finally surrendered to their emotions.

"If it comes to that, I won't hesitate. And I know that you won't either."

That was exactly what he needed to hear. He was certain that he wouldn't be able to resist any more. He wanted this. He needed this. Judith had been completely right about him. For the first time since he had been intoxicated that night in Dahngrest, he leaned in and kissed Flynn.

The blond was surprised by this, but didn't question. Yuri opened his mouth slightly, pressing against the seam of Flynn's mouth with his tongue. Inviting him in, their tongues fought for dominance. He ran his hands up the Commandant's back, pulling him on top of himself. He moaned into the kiss as Flynn's hands worked at the fabric belt tied at the small of his back. He was ready for this. He had been ready for this for days now.

Flynn pulled the belt aside, tossing it and then Yuri's vest somewhere on the floor. He tugged at Flynn's uniform, but the blond entwined the fingers of their hands together above his head, pinning him down. He broke the kiss and ground their hips together. He continued, planting burning kisses down Yuri's neck to the collar of his shirt. He moaned at the kisses, feeling himself growing hard against Flynn. This rush was something that he had not felt in quite a while. He let Flynn pull his hands away and unbutton his shirt.

Yuri was still hesitant about it being seen, and flinched a little bit when the blond's fingers caressed it, tracing the dark metal spiral around the blastia in his chest.

"There is not a single piece of you that I don't find beautiful." His hips ground against Yuri's harder, sending a shock of pleasure through the dark haired man's body. He coaxed a long, heated moan out of him. He didn't fight back against Flynn touching the protrusion in his chest further. He wasn't disgusted by it, so why bother trying to stop him? He pulled Yuri's shirt off easily, lifting him off the bed and into another long, passionate kiss.

Those tanned fingers wandered and stroked every bit of skin that they encountered, gently tracing numerous scars and lines of well-defined muscle across pale flesh. Yuri tugged at Flynn's uniform once more, pushing the blue and white tunic off and working to get it onto the growing pile of clothing littering the floor. Flynn pulled back long enough to get it off himself, and then the black shirt he wore underneath of that.

Underneath those layers was a dark, circular scar, the flesh raised slightly from the rest around it. This had to have been the scar from the hit that Flynn took for him in Zaude. Each bore scars meant for the other. He ran his fingertips over that scar, and then up into Flynn's hair. He growled a little bit, deep in his throat, as Flynn started to tug at his pants. This was not threatening so much as hungry. He longed for more contact between them, and all this fabric was hindering that.

Flynn's hand slid down between skin and fabric, and his knee slid up, pressing firmly between Yuri's legs.

He inhaled sharply as Flynn wrapped a hand around his stiff cock. Those fingers moved in short, fluid motions and he couldn't help but moan, low and guttural. How was it that Flynn knew just how to touch him, just how to get the most pleasurable sounds out of him? Yuri couldn't say that he minded, though. It was nice having a lover that didn't think only of their own pleasure for once.

On that note, he tried to undo the blond's belt. He could feel Flynn's heat pressed up against his inner thigh and was ready to be returning the favor. Flynn didn't let him. He entwined their fingers once more and leaned over him for another extended kiss. He didn't stop the stroking of his hand along Yuri's cock, and he moved his knee in a little more to rub against him further.

Yuri's hips bucked against that, increasing the maddening touch further. He couldn't help it. The pleasure that was washing over him was intense, even from just this little bit of contact. If this kept up, he would be spent soon.

He broke the kiss this time, leaning his head back to look Flynn in the eyes. They were like bright blue flames illuminated in the dim candlelight. A brief bit of apprehension came over him, reminding him of that terrifying dream only a few nights before. He kept his eyes on Flynn. This was not Alexei with his rough and unwanted touches. This was Flynn, kind and gentle, whose caresses were most welcome. The kisses did not make him want to gag. They stirred something deep and powerful and hungry inside of him. These eyes were blue, and not red. This was what he wanted, he just needed that little bit of reassurance.

"F-Flynn... I... ahh..." His bit his lip, using all his strength to manage words past the pleasure. One of his hands braced itself against Flynn's arm that was pleasuring him. He could feel the movement of each muscle, strong from years of sword fighting. "Damn it... if you don't slow down... I'm gonna..."

Flynn muffled his further protests with an achingly hot kiss. His movements didn't slow at all, as if he didn't care that Yuri was close to the end. Yuri couldn't hold it back any longer. He bucked against him one final time, spilling his fire into Flynn's hand and across their stomachs.

He leaned back, panting. The blond pulled his hand away, getting another little moan out of Yuri in the process, and nibbled on his neck.

"I warned you."

"I know. It was too good to resist, though." After a moment, the blond pulled back and slid off the bed. Yuri watched, propping himself up on his elbows. He didn't want him to move. He wanted more contact.

When Flynn returned to the bed, with the washcloth in hand, Yuri pulled him into another kiss. He nearly dragged him back onto the bed. He didn't need long to be ready again, so several minutes of hungry kisses could fill their time. He shuddered when that cold, wet cloth ran across his abdomen and then down. Why the hell was the blond cleaning them up when he was getting ready to make another such mess?

He unceremoniously threw the cloth back in the basin from the bed without looking. He sighed softly, and continued to kiss Yuri, moving to lie down next to him. "That was nice." Flynn ran a hand through Yuri's long hair, letting the strands drift back to the sheets from his fingertips.

"Not as nice as it's going to be."

He smiled at Yuri. It was one of those bright, fluffy, infuriating smiles that Yuri was never able to resist. They always disarmed him. "Tomorrow."

"What?"

"We'll finish this tomorrow. In my bed. There's more room."

"Oh, hell no." Yuri rolled on top of him. "We are finishing this _now._" There was plenty of room in his bed, especially if one person was on top of the other, which was his current plan.

"I was specifically ordered by Judith that I was not to wear you out. She said that she needs you at your full strength tomorrow."

He cursed Flynn for being such a tease, and he cursed Judith for the cockblock. He flopped back on the bed, defeated. He knew that he needed to get plenty of rest before tomorrow for whatever Judith and Karol had planned for him.

Flynn leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Maybe we'll do some more in the morning if you're good." He was still being a tease.

Yuri gave up. One more night couldn't hurt. He knew that the promise he had made to himself wouldn't be kept. He was kind of okay with that. Flynn was intentionally stretching out their time together.

He leaned over and put out the candle on the windowsill, leaving them in the darkness. The blond pressed up against him closer than ever, his warmth encompassing him. He didn't want to admit it was comfortable, and not as smothering as he expected.

"I love you."

"I know."

* * *

They lay together in the darkness for a long time. Flynn didn't mind testing what kind of boundaries he had at the moment. He ran gentle fingertips up and down Yuri's arm and across his collarbone. He didn't hear any sound of complaint. He wondered if he was even awake. Through the darkness, he couldn't see his face even though they were so close that he could hear every beat of the mechanical heart in Yuri's chest. He reached up to touch it once more, his fingers moving slowly and purposefully across its smooth, rounded surface. It was warm to the touch, and its mechanical whir could be felt as the slightest of vibration.

He had to remind himself that Yuri was still really there. He wasn't dreaming.

"Hey, Flynn..."

He hummed a bit to show that he was listening, but didn't respond further. Exploring Yuri's body in the dark was exciting, his fingertips seeing where his eyes couldn't.

Yuri's hand grabbed his, squeezing his fingers a little bit. "Being with you makes me feel less... hollow." It was barely a whisper.

He wished that he could see Yuri's face in that moment, but it was because he couldn't that the dark haired man had said that. He imagined his dark eyes, looking down and away, and the barest traces of a flush in his pale cheeks. He would have certainly been embarrassed to say such a thing, but if he had bothered to say it at all, it must have been weighing on him. Flynn knew that this was probably as close to an 'I love you' as he would ever get out of Yuri.

He knew that the duel coming the next day was going to be a very important moment in their relationship. He had to do this for Yuri.

* * *

End Author's Notes:

Flynn muffled his further protests with an achingly hot kiss. His movements didn't slow at all, as if he didn't care that Yuri was close to the end (Alt: Yuri's end was close at hand). Yuri couldn't hold it back any longer. He bucked against him one final time, spilling his fire into Flynn's hand and across their stomachs.

Badumtsh.

(hopefully that clears it up)


	38. Chapter 38 - Ready

Author's Notes: Sorry for another short chapter. I'm really glad you guys seemed to enjoy the last chapter. I've fixed the end author's note of chapter 37 in hopes of making the pun a little clearer, but it's not that big a deal if you didn't get it. It was just me being dumb. But if you enjoyed chapter 37, just wait. :D

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 38 - Ready

He woke to the door shutting, creaking as ever. He looked down at the floor. Flynn's uniform and black shirt were gone, and his own dark shirt, vest, and belt were neatly folded on his chair.

"Damn it, Flynn."

He sat up. Today was different. It was very early still, the sun having just risen. He felt better today then he had in a long time. He didn't ache from his hard training. He wasn't tired from having woken during the night due to the nightmares. In fact, he couldn't recall even having any. He didn't feel sluggish. Most of all, he didn't feel hollow. That emptiness he dreaded waking up to had not crept in even though Flynn was gone.

Yuri felt well rested and energetic. Was this what being happy felt like? He knew now that he wouldn't be able to stop even if he wanted to.

Even Repede, who was lying in the corner, seemed to notice.

"Up for some warm ups before this final test?"

The dog wuffed and then got up and stretched.

Yuri dressed and headed downstairs. The Comet was full of its regular early morning customers at this point, but Judith and Karol were not there yet. They were probably still sleeping. He grabbed a quick breakfast and then he and Repede were off.

It was a beautiful day. It was sunny and cool and a little windy. The Lower Quarter was abuzz with activity today. It was market day. As they ran, the people became merely obstacles. Yuri weaved and dodged through them, and he knew that they mostly wrote it off as Yuri being Yuri. He liked that.

"Hey there, Yuri!" Hanks called to him from the window of his home as he passed.

"Hey, Hanks." He slowed to a jog in place.

"Looking better today. I hope this doesn't mean you're gonna be making trouble."

"Me? Trouble? Never!"

The old man sighed, knowing that Yuri was indeed planning trouble as was his norm. "Just don't get arrested this time!"

Yuri pulled away from the conversation with a wave, and moved back to running, Repede in tow. They worked their way to the exit of the Lower Quarter that up to the public market, where Adecor and Boccos were posted for the day. They tried to ignore him as he approached, but he was not having that today. They were going to provide him with at least a little fun.

He scooped up a couple of pebbles from the road and began to launch them one at a time. They bounced off the two knights' armor, proving to be annoying as opposed to injuring them.

"I say, desist, Yuri Lowell!"

"Make me."

Their faces both grew red with anger. They were after him as fast as their legs could carry them. It felt so wonderfully familiar being chased by the knights. They weren't much of a challenge, but he felt like maybe they could use a little training, too. Flynn couldn't let his troops get flabby.

By the time they had finished chasing him through the Lower Quarter, he met up with Karol and Judith and jetted out of town. He had some monsters to fight in order to finish warming up for his duel.

* * *

He thought about Yuri. He hadn't _stopped _thinking about Yuri.

It had been a challenge to stop when they had last night. He had wanted to keep touching Yuri, since he no longer objected to the hungry kisses and wandering hands. But he had promised Judith that he would not deplete all of the dark haired man's energy on the night before their duel. Tonight, however, was another matter entirely.

Flynn felt a sense of accomplishment. He'd been able to touch Yuri, and fluster him for the first time in a long time. He was glad to see that he had been eager for it, and hoped that he would be eager again tonight, and every night after this. He was satisfied by the fact that he could get reactions out of Yuri that no one else could. He relished every little moan and movement he had made the night before, and enjoyed thinking about all the lovely sounds he would be making tonight. He loved the way those fiery charcoal eyes stared up at him and that voice called out his name. No dream could compare to that. It made him shiver with anticipation for the coming fight, and the night of passion that was sure to follow, provided Yuri wasn't too upset with him for hiding all of this.

He had satisfied Yuri, even if only briefly, and that had satisfied him. Every now and then he felt a little bit of a pervert and like he should be ashamed, but Yuri had obviously enjoyed it. The book that he had found in the castle library proved to be helpful after all.

Flynn picked at his collar a little. It felt uncomfortably close to his warm neck. He thought once more how nice his uniform looked lying on the floor of Yuri's bedroom.

"Hey, Commandant."

Raven trotted into his state room, breaking him out of his heated thoughts.

He had been trying to work, but had quickly become distracted by thoughts of the night before and the night that was to come. Hopefully, Raven had information for him regarding his surveillance. He was still waiting on the report from Captain Frings to come in.

"How are things?" He wanted to ask outright about the information he may or may not have had, but that seemed ill advised. Neither of them knew what ears might have been pressed against walls, desperate to hear whatever information they may have had. He still had to be suspicious of so many people.

Raven shrugged. "Same old same old."

No knew information then. That was disheartening, even though he was kind of glad that things were so quiet right now. He didn't want anything ruining today. It was too important to him.

"Dear Judith sent me."

He perked up a little at that.

"It's time."


	39. Chapter 39 - Dreams

Author's Note: In spite of the title, I swear that this is not a dream sequence chapter, but is one of the ones you've been waiting for. Enjoy :3

* * *

Chapter 39 - Dreams

The long, green field stretched out before him. He felt suddenly nervous. He had seen this before. Was he dreaming?

He pinched himself. He was awake, and he was himself and not Alexei. That was a bit of relief. He had been fighting monsters all day and running and trying to clear his head for the 'final test' that Karol and Judith worked so hard to prepare him for. His evening with Flynn was still a warm and bright memory in his mind, but even that flicker of happiness needed to be temporarily put away. And even though Flynn had been gone that morning when he woke, the hollowness was not hanging in his heart. He felt refreshed and renewed and today would be the last day of his dying. He was collected and confident and ready to move on with living. Maybe this was happiness.

Yuri had honestly been expecting a Giganto monster, or at least something large and formidable to be waiting at the end of the field. Instead, Flynn was standing there. He was wearing another of those insufferable, fluffy smiles. Repede, Judith, Karol, and Raven watche from where they were assembled behind him.

"Come to watch my final test?"

"Sort of." Flynn drew his sword. There was that smile again.

Of course. Why hadn't he realized it before? Flynn was the last person he fought before the final battle with Duke and the Adephagos. Flynn was his closest friend, although they were considerably closer now, and his closest match in strength. Flynn would be the best person for the job and the others had known that.

Yuri drew the Second Star, throwing the scabbard to the side. This was just a friendly duel. He didn't need to remind himself of that. This was not one of his horrible nightmares. This was the only way to get better. He had to defeat Flynn.

"Don't hold back, Yuri. I won't be a crutch for you."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He charged Flynn, sword level with his eyes, ready to strike.

Their swords struck; sparks flew between the metal blades. They each pulled back and struck once more. Yuri had the advantage of speed and agility, where heavily armored Flynn had the defensive advantage. They were both strong though, and they both had a lot riding on this fight, both personally, and for the state of their relationship.

"So this is why you didn't want to wear me out last night!"

"I wanted to make sure I was going to fight you at your strongest."

"You owe me!"

"A debt I will gladly pay this evening."

Strike after strike, their energy didn't fade.

"So I guess that you knew about my training the whole time."

"That's right. Judith and Karol didn't want you to know you'd be fighting me."

"It was a surprise."

"Go, Yuri!" Karol cheered from a safe distance. "You can do it!"

Repede barked and howled from beside the boy. Yuri knew that these were the sounds of encouragement.

"We believe in you, Yuri!" Judith, too?

"Come on, kid!" Even Raven was taking part in cheering for him.

He couldn't let them down. They believed in him, even when he didn't believe in himself. They had worked so hard to get him this far, and he was not going to let their hopes have been in vain.

He pressed forward against Flynn, spinning into a flurry of sword strikes and punches with his Dragon Swarm attack.

Flynn tried to block with his sword, which came down hard, grazing Yuri's chest. The metal tip of the sword easily rent the dark fabric of Yuri's shirt, slicing it all the way to his navel. He was undeterred and pressed into another attack.

"What's going – Yuri!" Estelle rushed into the field, Rita right behind her, trying to catch up. "Why are you two fighting?! What's going on?"

She was, of course, horrified by what she saw, and moved to get into the fray. Rita and Judith held her back. "Flynn, what are you doing?! Yuri's hurt! He needs to rest!"

"This is something that Yuri needs to do, Estelle. He's going to be fine. He's holding his own," the Krityan explained.

"But he...!" Her eyes were filled with tears. She had cause to be worried. She didn't know about his training, only that he was up and walking. As she watched, she could see how far he'd come, though. He was almost back to normal. He looked alive and happy once more.

As Flynn struggled to keep up, struggled to breathe, trying to recover from the last blitz, Yuri came in for the final attack. Even without his bodhi blastia, he was able to use many of his artes, even if not to their full efficiency. Flynn was preparing to defend himself from another barrage of attacks from Yuri's Dragon Swarm, the last of which sent him skidding back.

Yuri faked right and then moved in on the left, Flynn's weak side, dropping his sword low and preparing to bring it up for a Wolf Strike. He jumped and came down on top of him. His sword struck the blond's shield with such force that the metal cracked.

For a moment, they both just took deep, ragged, labored breaths. Flynn was laying flat on his back in the grass, disarmed, looking up at Yuri, who was leaning over him, sword at the ready to attack again if he needed to. Yuri wobbled,losing his footing a little. He was more worn out than he had expected. It had been a very long time since he had fought at his strongest with the one person who could handle it.

Estelle caught him, having been released from the hands of Rita and Judith, and pressed him against her bosom. She was sobbing, shouting, and using her healing artes on him. "Yuri, what were you thinking?! You need to rest! I can't believe that Flynn would-"

He smirked up at her. "Don't worry, Estelle. I've already kicked his ass."

"Yuri..."

"Thanks. I feel a lot better." His footing was much steadier now as he rose. He felt refreshed and the fatigue from the fight was gone.

Still a little shocked, and still crying, she moved on to heal Flynn, who managed to sit up.

"Flynn, why did you do this?"

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you, Lady Estellise. But I think that this was the only way to get Yuri back to his old self." After a flash of green, he was looking better too.

Yuri leaned over, extending a hand to help him up.

For a moment, Flynn just looked up at him with those blue eyes, smiling. "It looks like you've beaten me again. After only three weeks, you're already stronger than I am again. I am so proud to call you my friend, Yuri Lowell." He took the hand extended to him, and moved his knees so that he could stand. He was not prepared for what Yuri did next.

As he pulled him up, Yuri leaned over him, grabbing him by his collar, and kissed him hard and deep. This continued for a long moment as their tongues explored each others mouth in spite of Flynn surprise. He didn't fight back from Yuri forcibly displaying their relationship in front of his friends. Flynn didn't seem to mind, since maybe that meant he was ready for this to actually be a relationship.

The reactions of the party varied, as was to be expected. Karol and Estelle were shocked, Judith cheered quietly, Raven seemed unfazed, and Repede snorted, presumably in amusement.

"E-Estelle!" Rita was unprepared for the kiss that Estelle planted on her cheek, throwing her arms around the mage's neck.

Yuri pulled away just long enough to see this. "Called it!" He turned back to the near breathless Flynn and continued what he had been doing. After a moment, he released Flynn's collar, dropping him roughly on the ground.

The blond hit the grass with a thud and Yuri struck a triumphant pose, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. He managed to stand up after a moment while Yuri was busy high-fiving Karol and Estelle.

He felt so much better. He had beaten his best friend in combat after only three weeks of training from the lowest point in his life. He had survived this, and was going to keep going. He had too much to do to have ever thought of giving up. He still had to keep the hope of his and Flynn's dream alive. As long as he lived, so would that dream.


	40. Chapter 40 - Union

Author's Note: The things I have done for my fandom occasionally cause me embarrassment. Flynn's book was heavily inspired by ancient Chinese manuals on the subject. Time to turn Google SafeSearch back on.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 40 - Union

They moved their celebrations on to the Comet, where Judith had planned a dinner for them. The innkeeper was as surly as ever, although out of the corner of his eye, Yuri could occasionally see a soft smile pass over her face when she thought he wasn't paying attention. Maybe Hanks was right when he said that the whole Lower Quarter was worried that he hadn't been out causing trouble during the past month. They knew that it wasn't characteristic of him to be quiet for any amount of time. If he wasn't making trouble for the Knights, he was fighting monsters just beyond the city or off in Dahngrest with the guild.

The innkeeper brought curry for all of them and rounds of ale and juice as they laughed and talked, sharing happy stories and fun memories. Yuri was smirking and sarcastic and that made Flynn smile. This was the way it should be. He never wanted to see Yuri go through all that misery again.

"It's so good to see you back to normal, Yuri!"

"It's all thanks to all of you." He looked away. He would never be able to say something like that while looking them in the eye. "But now that my training's over, we have more pressing issues."

"Alexei's Word."

"Let's not worry about that tonight. This is a night of celebration, right?" Raven broke off the dark path that the conversation was sure to head down if they continued.

"You're right, Old Man. Tomorrow is another day." Under the table, Yuri squeezed Flynn's thigh just about his armor. The touches that had passed between them during the meal alone had been thrilling.

Flynn looked at him questioningly. His face felt warm. It was plausible that his face was still red from their extended kiss in the field more than a half an hour ago in front of the entire party. It could have been in front of the entire world and Flynn wouldn't have minded.

"I propose a toast to you, kid!" The scruffy man stood from his seat, his frothing tankard raised. "You've come so far in such a short time. I'm proud of ya!"

Everyone else stood, knocking their mugs together, and downing their drinks. Yuri slammed his wooden mug on the table, and grabbed Flynn's while he was mid gulp, spilling the watered down ale down his uniform.

"Thanks for dinner, Old Man!" Yuri bolted for the door, dragging Flynn behind him.

He only realized what was going on when the warm din of the tavern gave way to the chill night air in the quiet streets, and he was running behind Yuri, up toward the palace. The dark haired man was grinning and they finally slowed a little ways into the Public Quarter.

"Yuri, what are you doing? Should we have skipped out like that?" He certainly wasn't going to complain that Yuri was holding his hand still, or that he allowed him to touch him, even if only briefly, during the meal. That little touch on his leg had been nice, also.

"It's fine. The Old Man owes me. 'Sides, I'm done with that celebration. I'm ready for another kind." He pulled the blond's hand close to him. "I'm holding you to what you said last night." He was definitely eager. Those charcoal eyes were bright in the light of Brave Vesperia. "I'll race you."

Even after their lengthy duel, he was hardly fatigued at all. Fighting only gave Yuri more energy. As long as he kept fighting, he would never run out of energy. He would be unstoppable.

"You're on." He couldn't help but smile.

They sprinted through the Public Quarter up to the Royal Quarter, just like they were kids again.

He was relieved. This Yuri hadn't changed at all from those days all those years ago. He was still too proud to admit his feelings, as tough as nails in spite of everything that had happened, rough and tumble, dark and wonderful. This was the Yuri that he had fallen in love with years ago, and the one that he still loved today. And even if the dark haired man wouldn't admit it, surely he must have reciprocated those feelings. Everything had changed and nothing had changed.

Even after everything, their race still ended in a tie as they dashed into the gardens. Yuri would not be taking the front doors it seemed. He was several yards up before he noticed that Flynn was staring at him from the bushes.

"You coming or not?"

He hadn't even realized that he had fixed his gaze on Yuri. "Sorry. Just admiring the view."

The barest flush of red graced those pale cheeks. "Get up here, you idiot."

He started up the wall. Climbing upward provided to be no less difficult than climbing down had been, but he held his tongue and made it up to his balcony. Yuri was already waiting for him, looking triumphant even still.

"Wait here."

"Why?" Yuri cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Just wait. I'll be back in a minute." Flynn slipped inside, leaving Yuri on the balcony. He moved through the state room and into his bedroom. The lantern was left lit for him next to the bed.

He pulled off his armor faster than he remembered ever having done before. He put it on the stand in his armoire and then moved to the bedside table. He knew that Yuri was not the patient kind so he needed to make haste. Not that he wasn't as eager as hell himself.

He lit a long, white candle on the lantern flame and moved through the room, lighting others that he had carefully placed earlier that day. After only a moment, the candles filled the room with a soft, warm, yellow-orange glow. He fidgeted momentarily with the fresh flowers in the vase on his nightstand. They were roses from the garden. He took a deep breath. This was really happening.

Flynn had done this before, but somehow, this time was different. This time it was with the one person who had always held his heart. No matter what other person came in or out of his life, Yuri was a constant. He had once wished that he didn't have these feelings, but recently, even with as painful as they were at times, he was glad to still carry them.

He finished setting up the room, and went back to the balcony, trying not to seem like he was rushing. His plan wasn't complete just yet.

He opened the door and pulled Yuri in by his hand. There was a little resistance.

"What the hell took so long?"

"You'll see."

Yuri limply followed along to the sofa, and sat down. There was a bottle of chilled wine sitting on the table along with two glasses. Flynn poured them each one, and handed one of the glasses to Yuri. He sipped it a bit, before putting it back down.

"What's all this?" He nodded a bit toward the open bedroom door, where the glow from the candles was invading the mostly dark state room.

"Just trying to set the mood."

Yuri gently pulled the half consumed glass of wine out of his hand and leaned over, pulling Flynn into a kiss. In just a second, he was straddling him. Maybe eager was too light a term for the way he felt.

Their lips remained locked hard together for a few moments as Yuri started to pull on the leather belt of Flynn's uniform. He struggled with it, finally pulling away from the kiss to get a good look at the triple pronged buckle that was proving so difficult for his fingers.

"Why is this damn thing so tedious?"

Flynn reached up, tangling both hands in Yuri's long hair near his scalp. "I know you're eager, but let's not rush things. We've got time." Maybe he was worried that he would pull the same stunt he had last night, but Flynn had no intention of holding himself back tonight. He was as ready for it as Yuri had made obvious that he was.

He pulled Yuri back into a kiss, this one slower and more sensual in comparison. He moaned a little as Flynn ran a hand up his chest against his exposed skin. He had noted the night before that it was softer than he had expected in spite of his numerous scars and rough lifestyle. He gasped just slightly as Yuri's fingernails scrapped against the back of his neck and up his scalp.

They stayed like this for a few endless moments, lips and fingers wandering, every touch delightful.

"Shall we -?"

"Yes."

He wasn't sure how they managed to get off the sofa, but he didn't really care either. Their lips never stopped and hands never moved too far from skin as they made their way into the candlelit bedroom and onto the bed.

Flynn moved back, teasingly licking Yuri up his neck and across his Adam's apple. He could feel the air that moved through those lungs, sucked in by those lips as he inhaled. "I'll be back in a minute."

Yuri looked a little disappointed as he pulled himself into a position leaning up against the heavy wooden headboard of the bed. He sighed just a little, and looked away.

He moved back into the state room, quickly corking the bottle of wine, but that was not his true intention in the room. On the table nearest to the door was a basket of fruit, on the top of which was an apple. He picked it up gently. Perhaps this gesture could be construed as cruel after Yuri's nightmares, but he wasn't sure that the dark haired swordsman had realized yet the importance of this simple fruit to their relationship and his dreams.

For a minute, he just stood there, staring at the blood red fruit in his hand.

* * *

He didn't know what was taking Flynn so long. Maybe he was just being impatient as usual, and what was only a moment seemed like much longer. To occupy his time, he started to rummage through the drawers of Flynn's nightstand. There was little of much interest: some notes, a little bit of money, a stray book, and a few candles. He reached for the bottom drawer, where, under a stack uninteresting papers, there was a large, thick book. It was a leather-bound tome with musty pages and an unmarked spine. Could it have been a journal? That thought made him smile wickedly.

Yuri pulled the book out quietly and opened it. It was not a journal. It was something worse. He couldn't resist reading a section of it out loud.

"_The embrace between the twin serpents should be tender and sweet like the nectar of a flower, and once the portal opened, a position of ease should be used to allow for the __exchange of tender touches and embraces to pass between the lovers._"

He knew exactly what this was. It was hard not to laugh about Flynn having something like this. It was uselessly full of flowery imagery for the most basic of sexual language and heavy in old fashion euphemism. Manuals like these were hard to find nowadays, mostly because they were outdated and cumbersome.

Flynn stopped in the doorway, staring at him in shock.

"W-Where did you get that?"

He motioned to the open drawer as he flipped through a couple of pages, eyes crossing over bookmarked paragraphs and diagrams. He was trying his best not to chuckle. As awfully written as this was, it may have been the only reason that Flynn had any idea what he was doing in the bedroom at all. "Do you get off on this sort of thing?"

"N-No! It's just reference..." He came up to the bed and grabbed hold of the book, ready to take it and discard it to keep from embarrassing himself further.

"This is almost as bad as those trashy romance novels that are so popular in the Lower Quarter." He shifted the book up to show Flynn one of the pictures that he had marked. "This one looks like fun."

Yuri noted the interesting bright shade of red that Flynn's face had become. It could have been the candlelight, but he was pretty sure that it was utter embarrassment that Yuri had found something so scandalous. He pulled the book easily out of his hands and tossed it across the room, where it slid under the armoire.

Damn. Just when this was getting amusing. Yuri didn't fight back though. Books were less interesting than the things they had planned.

Flynn just stood over him for a moment, looking down.

"Oh come on, are you mad about that?" He sighed, rolling his head to one side, when he turned back, the blond was holding something out to him.

His eyes immediately focused on it, fixated. It was impossible for him not to be. From the apple held in Flynn's fingers, he followed the arm up to those blue eyes. Memories hit him hard, flooding his brain. For a moment, he was breathless and speechless. He ran a hand across his face in a flash of brief frustration. How had he not realized it earlier? How could he have been so stupid?

"Fuck." Yuri finally found words beyond all those childhood memories. "That... that's pretty messed up." He chuckled a little, although he wasn't sure what was so funny. Maybe he was just so amused that he turned out be such an idiot. That stupid apple that kept showing up in all his dreams and now he finally understood. "How could I not see it before?"

Flynn sat down on the bed next to him, still holding that apple. "It took me some time to figure out why you kept dreaming of this... but once that moment can back to me, I finally understood."

There was just a long silence between them as Yuri couldn't stop thinking about that moment in his childhood where he had been the one to give the apple to Flynn after scaling that wall and suffering injuries in an attempt to keep them from starving. Everything was making so much sense all of a sudden that it was a shock.

"Yuri..." Flynn's voice was gentle and concerned, just as it had been that fateful day.

He reached out and took the apple slowly. He couldn't hesitate anymore, knowing the truth behind it all now. It was already too late. That moment had decided the fate of their entire lives and it had taken him this long to realize why that fruit frightened him so much. No matter how he pushed Flynn away, no matter how much he denied that he ever had feelings for him before, he knew that they were irreparably tangled together. He couldn't escape this no matter how hard he tried, and he wasn't going to fight it anymore. He had already decided that, and this moment only reinforced his decision.

Yuri brought the apple to his lips and took a bite. He handed it to Flynn, who was smiling softly. He took a bite, too. They shared that simple, powerful piece of fruit. When they finished, Yuri let the core fall onto the nightstand as he pulled Flynn on top of him.

The blond cupped his face in one hand, the other sliding down his back. Yuri arched a little into him, allowing him easy access to the knot of his belt. It slid undone easily and ended up somewhere on the floor. He picked at Flynn's belt, the metal buckle no longer evading his fingers, and then pulled the buttons of his blue and white striped uniform open deftly.

Flynn moved down a little, pulling Yuri's boots off one at a time as he nibbled down his neck. Each one hit the floor with a thud.

He started to peel away his ripped up, dark shirt, and then discarded that and his own uniform. The dark haired man pushed Flynn's undershirt up, moaning a little as he continued down his neck and chest. The blond's tongue flickered across his nipple and he bit his lip to keep from gasping. His knees subconsciously tightened around Flynn's waist and his fingers dug into the fabric bunched up across his shoulders. Yuri pulled Flynn's shirt off after a few seconds, and tossed it off the bed, keeping him only momentarily from teasing him further. As soon as the shirt was out of the way, the blond continued, latching on gently with his teeth and tongue, his hand sliding along the outside of Yuri's thigh.

Yuri couldn't help but moan a little. Flynn moved to kneel over him, and with both hands, pulled Yuri's lower body into his lap. He opened his legs a little to allow the contact between them to grow. He was already hard, and he could feel Flynn becoming so against him. Those fingers tugged at the hem of his pants which gave little resistance.

As the fabric was pulled away, Flynn's fingertips wandered tenderly, tearing down the last little bits of the walls that Yuri had built between them. He didn't care. He was aching for this. The blond leaned down and kissed him as he tried to push his pants off. Flynn pulled back just long enough to pull them off himself. He held back a bit of a whimper as that contact ceased, but it was soon replaced with a much more intimate one that was unhindered by layers of fabric.

He ground their hips together, and Yuri responded in kind, moaning at the wonderful increase in touch. He lifted himself up with one arm, making it that much more intense as he pulled Flynn down into another hungry kiss. "You did for me yesterday. Let me do something for you."

The blond didn't even have time to question him as Yuri easily pushed him onto the bed. He held back a moan as Yuri controlled the grinding of their hips for just a moment, and then pulled away.

Yuri knelt between Flynn's legs, caressing his hard cock with slow, rhythmic motions. He leaned down and licked the tip before taking the entire length into his mouth. Flynn was no longer able to hold back, a moan erupting from deep within his throat as he enjoyed the warm, wet pleasure that Yuri's mouth provided. His hands reached down instinctively to take Yuri by the back of his head, but instead were met by Yuri's hands, clasping tightly.

Certain little motions he made with his tongue caused that grip to tighten, his tan knuckles nearly turning white. He stared intently up at him, his eyes fixed on Flynn's. He continued hungrily for a few moments. Every tiny gasp and moan was wonderful.

"Y-Yuri...!"

It was his turn to tease Flynn. He had no intention of letting things end here. He pulled away, never letting his eyes unlock from those blue orbs. He left the blond panting, trying to recover his composure.

"I swear that if you pull the same stunt you did last night..."

"Don't worry. I won't hold back tonight." Flynn recovered faster than he expected, pushing him back into the pillows with a smile. He kissed him hard and deep, one hand stroking Yuri's cock as the other searched through the top drawer of the nightstand. He pulled out a small bottle of oil. "Is it okay to keep going?"

"Do you even have to ask?" He was at least glad that Flynn was prepared.

He smeared a little oil on the fingers of his right hand and pulled Yuri's lower half back into his lap. "This is going to hurt a little." He traced a ring around his entrance and then slowly inserted one of the well-oiled fingers.

Yuri moaned and arched a little bit as that long finger rolled against his insides. After just a moment, he nodded to Flynn that it was okay to keep going. A second finger delved into the cleft of flesh, moving along with the first. His moans grew a little bit louder as the blond scissored him open and then slid those fingers in a little deeper. When Flynn was satisfied that he was handling two well, he slowly added a third and final finger.

He gripped the back of Flynn's head, pulling him down into a kiss as he continued to move his fingers in and out of him, preparing him for the act. He moaned into the kiss, letting Flynn's tongue explore the depths of his mouth. He thought momentarily how Flynn's tongue would feel elsewhere. Maybe they would save that for later.

Yuri let out a slight groan as Flynn pulled his fingers completely out. He was ready to keep going, and fingers were not enough to satisfy him. He watched as Flynn oiled his own sex heavily. He leaned over him, letting their hips grind together again for a few moments while they exchanged hungry kisses. He positioned his cock at Yuri's entrance, rubbing against it. He moaned loudly, feeling the hard length pressed against him.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry that this is going to hurt. I'll try to take it slow and gentle. Let me know if it's too much."

Did Flynn honestly think that this was his first time? He didn't bothered to correct the misunderstanding. Most of what Flynn knew was probably from that book, where Yuri had actual experience.

Slowly, Flynn pressed into him until the entirety of his heat was inside Yuri, filling him, pressing against his pleasure center. He bucked a bit, briefly increasing the contact, letting out a lengthy, pleasured moan. He leaned back in the bed a little, adjusting to the fullness inside of him. His heart was pounding. It wasn't like he had thought about this moment for the longest time.

"Are you alright?" The look on the blond's face was worried.

"I'm fine."

"But your heart..."

He hadn't noticed that the blastia in his chest was shining softly with each beat of his racing heart. It bathed them in that soft, red glow that Yuri thought he would never be comfortable with. Right now, though, it provided them enough light to see. After all, this heart was meant for Flynn, perhaps in more way than one.

"It's fine. It's just straining a little, that's all."

"Am I hurting you?"

"Flynn, I'm okay. I promise." His attention to Yuri's pain or pleasure was admirable. The pain was nothing he hadn't felt during this before and nothing that he couldn't handle. In spite of Flynn's inexperience, it felt good so far.

The blond nodded a little, although he was still visibly worried. He began a series of slow, gentle thrusts. Yuri arched and moaned with each thrust, Flynn's cock moving in him, hot and hard. He wrapped his arms around Flynn's neck, scraping a little with his fingernails across his shoulders as he tried to keep his body under control.

"Yuri, I love you."

"I know."

Flynn tangled a hand in his hair, tilting his head up for an extended kiss. Each time Flynn's pelvis pressed up against his, desire and hot pleasure surged in him. At least Flynn had some idea about how to use that thing, and Yuri was glad.

His movements became a little faster, a little harder, and a little more confident as they continued, and Yuri did not protest. He wasn't sure how long this went on. It felt like an eternity, but he knew that it couldn't have more than a few minutes, and realistically, probably much less than that. Each kiss became more passionate and each touch more desperate as they grew closer and closer to their final moments. He hadn't noticed before how shaky his legs had become or how sweet their kisses tasted, bright, warm and a little tart like the apple that they shared, or how desperately he was clinging to Flynn, digging fingers into his shoulders, or how loud and heated his moans had become. Flynn seemed to be in a little better shape, since he wasn't the one these things were being done to (yet). His mind thought just momentarily about how well the normally perfectly in control Commandant would handle such intense pleasure.

He wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to hold out, and those bright blue eyes staring down into his, filled with love and lust weren't making things any easier. They could so easily see the things in Yuri's eyes that he wasn't saying and couldn't say. He didn't mind that Flynn's thrusts had become sharper and a bit awkward and less rhythmic. It told him that he was close too. Yuri wrapped his legs tightly around Flynn's waist in a weak attempt to keep him there inside of him and increase the contact of their already very intimate touches.

"F-Flynn...!" His voice never sounded so strange when it called out to any other person, but he liked it. He felt like that was how it should have sounded in a moment like this: hot and trembling as if losing himself slightly in ecstasy.

Flynn opened his mouth to speak, looking concerned, but Yuri silenced whatever it was with a hungry, wandering tongue. Flynn didn't need to be concerned. There wasn't a single part of this he wasn't enjoying.

Another powerful, clumsy thrust and Yuri arched his back hard, nails digging into the blond's bare back. Ecstasy overcame him and after just a moment he felt Flynn's heat expand inside of him. The feeling that washed over him threatened to drive him insane, and his heart glowed very brightly for a few seconds. It didn't stop beating; it merely strained from the intensity.

For a few long moments, they laid there, Flynn leaning over him, both of them trying to catch their breath.

"Yuri... are you...?"

"That was really good." He leaned up, bracing himself against the bed with one hand, the other tracing the line of Flynn's cheek and he kissed him tenderly. The blond blushed bright red, harder than he had throughout the entire act, both of his hands gripping the bed sheets tightly. He smiled, although it was half a smirk too, to let Flynn know that everything was fine. That seemed to ease his conscience a bit.

He pulled back and lay down next to Yuri.

Moments of soft, sweet kisses and gentle caresses passed between them. For the first time in a long time, the quiet of his own quarters didn't bother him. It was as if all the stress drained out of him. He was with Yuri, the one person that he loved and trusted the most in the whole world. This was the person he could be himself around. If he lost his temper or cried, it was okay because they had each seen the other during the worst times in their lives.

Yuri kissed him a little harder, and rolled on top of him, sitting up. "Up for another

round?"

"You're not satisfied yet?" He smiled, moving his hands up Yuri's thighs to his hips.

"I'm not that easily pleased."

"I think after last night, I could testify to the contrary."

Yuri flushed in frustration. "That was a fluke. I was ready to keep going. You're the one who cut things short." That wonderful, intolerable smile made him so flustered. He scooted down and shifted a bit to rub against him. "But no. I'm not satisfied yet. It's my turn to show you a good time."

Flynn moaned a bit, and was already getting hard again. He wasn't really satisfied either, even as nice as it had been. He had been holding back for so long that he was ready for more. So, like in his dreams, he let Yuri take the lead this time.

Yuri let his fingers explore the expanse of Flynn's slightly tanned skin, but was less slow and steady about it. He had no apprehensions about how to make a partner feel good. Maybe Flynn was different, but many of the steps to reach the end were the same. He nipped hungrily on Flynn's neck, leaving light bite marks and grinding against him. He listened to each of those moans and sharp inhales again, knowing just the right notes to hit for the best reactions.

He seized Flynn's cock and once more began pleasuring him with his mouth. He moaned as Yuri's tongue crept up and down his length. Flynn tangled his fingers in his hair, trying to keep his composure, but it wasn't going so easily. He rummaged around on the bed for wherever Flynn put the oil.

He found it and pulled away, leaving Flynn panting from the aftereffects of his mouth. He poured a little of the oil onto his fingers and lifted one of the blond's legs off the bed, grinding against him once more.

"This is going to be uncomfortable so just stay calm."

He nodded, watching.

Yuri came in and kissed him hungrily, slowly sliding a finger into his entrance. Flynn moaned, wincing a little. He moved it in and out slowly and pulled back from the kiss to watch Flynn's reactions. After a moment of resistance, his muscles calmed a little bit, and Yuri moved in with a second finger. He tightened once more, bracing himself against the bed.

"Loosen up. It'll be okay."

He calmed once more, allowing Yuri to slip a third finger in, pressing in deeply.

Flynn let out a loud moan, his toes curling, fingers tightening on the bed sheets. Yuri pulled him into another kiss as the blond bucked up against his fingers, increasing the contact. He removed them after a moment, letting Flynn catch his breath before continuing. He oiled himself, watching Flynn carefully.

"Ready to keep going?"

"Yeah..."

Yuri rubbed against his entrance for a moment, listening to his moans, before leaning over him. He held both of his hands and slowly pushed into him.

Tanned fingers tightened against his with such pressure that it popped his knuckles, and beneath him, Flynn was struggling to breathe between sounds of pain and pleasure. He arched and tried to buck against him, but Yuri pinned him down with his hips.

"Take it easy," he said comfortingly. "You have to breathe."

Flynn fought to calm down and after a few long moments, he started to regulate his breathing, still making little sounds. Yuri let one of his hands go to caress his stomach and planted gentle kisses on his lips and neck. He gave him time to get used to this new sensation. He knew that the first time was the most difficult, so he needed to be patient. Flynn was strong though and would be able to handle this.

"You alright?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." He tried to smile a little.

"I'm going to move, okay?"

Flynn nodded, biting his lip. He was still adjusting to this, but he was not acting like some did their first time, crying and wanting to stop. He was enjoying it under the pain, which would subside once his body was a little more accustomed.

Yuri began to move, slowly and gently, just a little at a time, listening to Flynn moan underneath him. He was already sweating from just this little bit. His inexperience was obvious. He hadn't let anyone else touch him like this before. He vaguely thought that it was sort of sweet that he got to be the first, although he wasn't sure if that had been Flynn's intention. He pushed his fingers in between Flynn's, holding his hand tightly.

Even if the blond wouldn't admit it, he was in pain.

"Just keep breathing. You're doing fine. It's only this bad the first time." He thrust in a little deeper although still gentle and slow, and Flynn bucked back against him,

He couldn't take back his own experiences, but he wished that he could have at least shared his own first moments with Flynn. He kissed him, letting Flynn squeeze his hand tighter. The pain and pleasure must have been overcoming him. This wouldn't last long since the first time was often intense.

"It feels really good, Yuri..." Those blue eyes were clouding a little.

"I'm glad." He was being unusually gentle. These weren't things he would have done or said for just anyone. Maybe because this was Flynn, who he had shared so much with, who after everything that they had been through deserved at least a little bit of his kindness.

He kept up his pace, even as Flynn was near ecstasy beneath him. The blond clung to him tightly, even while trying to stay calm and in control. It was only another few moments before Flynn tightened around him, spilling his fire between them. Yuri was only a few seconds behind him.

Time seemed to dissolve between them after that moment. The remainder of their night was filled with such pleasure and delight. The only thing that mattered in that moment was that they were together.


	41. Chapter 41 - Parting

Author's Notes: You may have noticed that updates have slowed down to about one a week. They're going to stay that way for a little while because I have several other projects for TOV that I'm working on, one in particular is quite large and exciting that I would like to finish before I finish posting Legacy.

These past few weeks, my depression has been up and down and really bothering me, but I just want all of you to know that your kind words really help and whenever I'm feeling down, I go back and read old reviews and feel like I'm not a complete failure. So thank you for sticking with me.

* * *

Chapter 41 - Parting

He woke a little after dawn, frost on his bedroom window, flat grey clouds outside hiding the sun. He didn't mind that Yuri was hogging the bed, spread eagle, one hand in Flynn's face and snoring softly. He gently moved Yuri's hand, kissing the top of it, and rolled over to look at the sleeping form next to him. Yuri looked so peaceful. He couldn't resist leaning over him and moving a bit of his messy black hair out of his face. He didn't stir at all, even as he pressed his lips against Yuri's. He received only a snore as a reply. So much for faery tale stories about kisses waking charming princes. Yuri was no Prince Charming after all, and Flynn wouldn't have it any other way.

Flynn got out of bed, pulling the blankets over Yuri, who rolled a little to the warm spot he left in the bed. He would let him sleep for a while longer. Neither had gotten much sleep the night before.

He picked up their clothing from off of the floor and then dressed. The candles around the room had all burned themselves out long before Yuri and Flynn had. He moved to the quiet cold of his state room. From his balcony, he could see the whole of the capital covered in a blanket of snow, leaving every building soft and white.

Even that peacefulness couldn't drive back the fact that this city, his city, was in danger. He had been able to put his mind at ease for one night, but he couldn't forget the threat that was ever looming. He sighed and moved away from the window. Right now he had a few small tasks to deal with before he started worrying once more about what to do next.

Breakfast was in order. His stomach was rumbling, and he was sure that Yuri would be hungry when he woke up. And, as much as he was not looking forward to it, he needed to talk to Sodia and gently inform her of the status of his and Yuri's relationship. He wasn't prepared to break her heart by saying that he was with the person that she loved, but it was kinder than not telling her.

He stepped into the hallway, where a morning maid was going about changing out the flowers that dotted the halls. She curtsied as soon as she spotted him.

"Good morning, Commandant."

"Good morning." He bowed. "If you would, please inform the kitchen staff that I'll take breakfast in my quarters this morning, and there will be two dining. I would appreciate it greatly."

Her eyes darted away in surprise. If nothing else he said or did that day started some rumors, that surely would. "Of course, Sir." She curtsied again and went on her way.

"Dining in your room this morning, Flynn?"

He turned sharply to find Ioder standing behind him, smiling brightly.

"Master Ioder... ah... yes."

"Congratulations."

"What?"

Ioder motioned to his own neck, making Flynn hyperaware of his own suddenly. He reached up and his fingers immediately found a bruised bite mark lingering just above his collar. His face reddened as he realized just how hard Yuri had bitten him last night, and exactly what message that would send to everyone he met today.

"Tell Yuri that I said congratulations too."

"Master Ioder, how did...?"

"You're really much more obvious than you think. When we first met, you endlessly regaled me with stories about how great your childhood friend was. He was all that you could talk about. I'm pretty sure everyone suspected." He patted him on the shoulder and turned to leave.

Wow. He really was obvious.

"Oh. If you see Sodia, would you please send her to find me? I need to speak with her."

"Are you sure you won't be too busy?"

He was too stunned to answer. He watched Ioder walk down the hallway and disappear around a corner.

* * *

He was seated on one of the sofas in the state room when she entered. Something felt terribly different about him and the atmosphere of the room. He had a soft smile on his face, looking calm and pleased and well rested for the first time in a long time.

"Good morning, Sodia."

"Good morning."

He motioned for her to sit across from him, although it was customary for her to stand in his presence.

"What can I do for you this morning?" Since his becoming Commandant, she was more of a glorified secretary now than anything else, but she was okay with that because it allowed her to merely be near him.

"Actually, what I called you here for is not business related."

"What do you mean, Sir?"

"I know what's going on between you and Yuri. It's taken me this long to realize." Flynn's face was suddenly grave looking. He started down at his hands that rested, fingers entwined, against his knees.

Sodia froze, every hair on her body standing straight on end. Had he finally found out about the events at Zaude? What would he do to her? Have her arrested and taken before a military tribunal? Sentence her to death? Fire her? (It was a bit sad that in her mind, being fired was the worst outcome.)

Flynn was normally so level headed, except when it came to Yuri. He did things for and because of Yuri that he would do for no one else. She had no idea what kind of reaction to expect if he found out that she had tried to kill the person that he cared the most about. She knew that and hated to admit it. It was a place that she wished she could have held, but he had always put Yuri up on such a high pedestal that no one else could ever compare.

She wished that she had been able to finish the job and was sorry that she ever tried.

"Sir, I -"

He stopped her with a brief motion of his hand. "You don't need to explain. I understand."

What?

"I'm afraid though, that Yuri can't return your feelings for him."

What?!

"You see, he and I... well... we're together."

WHAT?!

Her face grew hot with rage, but she was not able to find the right words to verbalize it. They would have been deplorable words that would make the surliest of guild members blush with shame. She knew her mouth was hanging open in horror, but only a small, angry, strangled hiss was coming out.

Did he honestly believe that Yuri Lowell, the man she hated and tried to kill was the object of her _affections_? She gagged. Yuri was her rival for Flynn's affections, not the other way around! Had Flynn honestly thought that she was his rival for Yuri's? She _hated_ Yuri! Just thinking about him made her blood boil and her hands reach for her dagger.

"I'm sorry to be the one to have to tell you." He was being completely sincere, which made it even more unbearable. He really did believe those things!

At this point, she'd almost rather he'd known the truth. All of the letters she wrote to him must have been unopened, otherwise he would have known her affections were for him. Had he not read them because of his feelings for that miscreant mongrel?

She stood straight up, as quick as lighting, and headed for the door. If this conversation continued, she would either cry and confess everything or start screaming. Or both. Her eyes stung with hot tears of rage. Just as her hand flew to the handle of the door, she heard a voice call out from Flynn's bedroom.

"Flynn... come back to bed..." She would have known that voice anywhere. It was _him_.

He knew she was there and he was taunting her. Her hands burned to be wrapped around his throat and to strangle every bit of life out of him with all her rage but she would have certainly been fired if she tried that. She didn't look back at Flynn, but she heard him stand and walk toward her. She was quaking with anger. She wasn't even sad. That must have been what he thought, though.

"I'm very sorry, Sodia." His hand grew near her shoulder, but she was out of the door before he could touch her. If he had managed it, she was afraid she might have raised a hand against him, which she swore never to do. She would sooner kill herself.

The door slammed shut behind her and she stormed down the hall toward the lower floors. She barely noticed Estelle and Rita as she passed.

"Oh, Sodia..." The pity in her eyes betrayed that maybe she thought the same as Flynn.

She couldn't bear to look at her, or the brunette mage reading beside her.

"I'm really sorry about how things turned out with you and Yuri. I'm sure that you'll find someone , thought."

Rita glanced up from her book, her teal eyes gleaming like she alone knew the truth. "Heh."

Sodia flew off into a rage down the hallway, knocking over one of the useless hallway tables, still unable to respond. Was everyone misunderstanding this situation?!

If she knew anything, she knew that she hated Yuri Lowell and that this fight was not over yet.

* * *

Flynn sighed. He had been dreading that talk, but it had to be done and he couldn't rely on Yuri for it. He would have avoided talking to her about it entirely.

He slipped back into the bedroom, where Yuri was sitting up in bed, sheets dripping off his bare, pale form in a most tantalizing way. It was a fight to keep from jumping his bones then and there. He turned away to shut the door. He wouldn't be able to hold out for long.

"You should really let people down on your own. I won't be able to do it for you every time."

"I didn't ask you to."

"That's not the point, Yuri. Sodia was very upset."

He shrugged. "Don't worry. She'll get over me."

He sighed again and sat down on the bed. Yuri reached over, pulling open the collar of his uniform and sitting up to straddle one of his knees. "Let me help you with that."

"I'll take it off. I do have to wear this again at some point today."

"Neat freak."

It was true. He had already picked up Yuri's clothing and folded it, but the wrinkles from lying on the floor all night had already set in. Yuri didn't care, though.

He stood and watched as Yuri flopped back onto the bed and pulled the blankets over himself. "Shit, it's cold."

"Well, it is snowing. It has been since last night." Flynn unbuttoned his uniform and put it back up on a hanger in his armoire. Next came his black shirt, and boots that he set next to Yuri's at the end of the bed. He didn't care so much about the state of his pants after this.

"Sorry. I was too preoccupied last night to notice."

Flynn leaned down over Yuri, one knee on the bed and planted a soft kiss on his lips, pulling the blanket away. "If you're cold, I'll just have to warm you up, then."

Another round of fiery passion found them satisfied once more. Flynn didn't mind that Yuri was nearly insatiable. He played in his hair a bit as they lay side by side.

"Your hair's a mess."

"What do you expect when I'm on my back half the night?"

Yuri's blase attitude about their evening activities made him blush a little. After a little while of just laying there, they showered and dressed, if a bit reluctantly. Now that he had Yuri there, he didn't want to let him go. It was selfish of him and he knew it.

Flynn was relieved though. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Yuri dressed, noting that everything was really back to normal. The bottom three most buttons of his shirt were fastened, and the rest left to hang open as they once had, no longer hiding the blastia heart. It was something that he no longer had a reason to be ashamed of. He had overcome it just as he had overcome everything else in his life.

"Any news about you-know-who?" Yuri lay on the sofa, chomping on a cold fritter. His hair was draped over one of the sofa's arm, dripping all over of the floor. Flynn already had the presence of mind to put a towel underneath him.

"Nothing yet. I'm hoping to hear from Captain Frings soon."

"Frings... Where have I heard that name before?"

"Aslan Frings became a captain shortly before I did. He aided the cause in Aurnion. I served with his brother for a while until I made captain. Aslan's pretty well known." Flynn shrugged, taking a sip of his cold tea. A maid had brought them breakfast nearly an hour before, while they were still reveling in passion. Cold breakfast was better than no breakfast, though. "Probably in your travels. I hear he's even well liked in Dahngrest for having quelled a bar fight between knights and guild members while out of uniform."

"I guess it doesn't really matter as long as you trust him." He stretched and looked outside. "I guess it's probably time for me to get back. You've got your planning meetings and we've got ours."

He didn't want to hear that, but he had known all along that it was coming. Yuri would return to Dahngrest soon for who knows how long. He nodded mutely, staring down at his cup.

Yuri rolled easily off of the sofa. He leaned down and gave Flynn a quick kiss, pulling back before he had a chance to react. He was all the way to the balcony before he was even able to lift his head.

"Yuri..."

"Our paths will cross again soon."

That made Flynn smile. "Let me know if you find anything out. This is a problem I have to deal with, too."

"Will do." With a smirk, he left down the palace wall as usual. Flynn stood and watched him trudge through the snowy garden and into the white city.

Quiet settled in the room, and he realized that he didn't feel quite as sad as he expected. Yuri was right. They would see each other again soon, even if he left for Dahngrest and other adventures. He still lived half his time in Zaphias, even if he never called this place home. And if nothing else, they would see each other soon while hunting down Alexei's Word, even if their methods differed. They each had a path to walk, and a path that they said they would walk without regret for the past or fear for the future.

Those paths would cross again soon, and Yuri was strong once more. He had no need to fear. Everything was going to be fine. In the meantime, he had work to do.


	42. Chapter 42 - Order

Author's Notes: Sorry for the slight delay in the updating. My internet was down again.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 42 - Order

"Sir, this arrived for you."

He was a little surprised to see LeBlanc making the delivery this time. He supposed that Sodia was rightfully still upset with him. "Thank you."

He took the envelope easily. It was sealed with the official seal of the Frings Brigade, a lion head, and through its rough, brown paper he could feel a metal document case. He had been waiting for this. He opened it slowly, resisting the urge to tear into it impatiently.

_Sir,_

_The investigation in Vonael is still ongoing, but we have discovered many interesting leads which I believe point in the direction of this cult, Alexei's Word. Enclosed are more detailed reports and drawings by myself and my researchers that may prove of interest at this time. We have recently encountered many strange monsters in the area that, until this point, have been undocumented in this area. I have lost many men on account of this. Please send reinforcements and supplies, as ours are dwindling dangerously. I hope that with this, you can convince the Council of the urgency of this matter as things are looking grave. We await your further orders and assistance._

_ Aslan Frings_

Flynn looked over the enclosed reports. They detailed an underground laboratory discovered underneath the ruins of the Magistrate's manor, complete with carefully drawn pen sketches of the environment: rooms full of strange blastia research and equipment, a shrine to Alexei that was very similar to what they had found at the Manor of the Wicked, and other such macabre scenes.

"Captain LeBlanc."

"Yes, Sir?"

"I need all of the captains and their sub commanders at this morning meeting. Including Sodia."

"That include me?"

Raven walked in, but he was not dressed in his normal purples, but in his orange and white captain's uniform. His dull brown hair was down, covering one of his icy blue eyes.

"Captain Schwann?!" LeBlanc was of course surprised to see his former commander wearing the uniform of the position that he no longer claimed.

"Raven?" Flynn was also surprised.

"I'm Schwann for now. I figure in this get up, the Council will at least listen to what I have to say." If he was digging up old memories like this, it must have been important. He cast off the mantle of Schwann Oltorain a year ago and was living now as Raven, but the tide of darkness changed many things.

"But you are officially listed as deceased."

"Tell them that I'm a ghost if you have to, but the things I have to say are of dire consequences. I know a lot about what Alexei was researching and have a theory as to what end his followers intend to use that information."

Flynn nodded and stood from his desk. He turned to LeBlanc. "Please call everyone to the meeting immediately. This is urgent. I will join you shortly."

The huge man nodded and made good his exit.

"Just a heads up, so you're not too shocked. Iskar and his cronies left town last night and I have an idea of where they're headed."

"Vonael."

"Yep."

While he was enjoying himself, a possible threat to the safety of the Empire and its citizens slipped out of view of his normally watchful eye. He sighed, guilt stinging the pit of his chest.

"I only found out an hour or so ago, so don't go beating yourself up over it. We had no way of knowing when he would make his move and you and Yuri both needed the things that happened yesterday." Raven smiled a bit. "Thanks for being there for the kid when he needed you."

He nodded silently. That reassurance helped alleviate the guilt a little. He had to remind himself that now was not the time for regret, but the time for action. He was sure that Yuri felt the same way.

"I've already let the others know and we're leaving for Dahngrest and then Vonael this afternoon. Yuri said he'd stop by before we left. We're gonna talk to the Don about some resources as well. I'm thinking that this is a threat that even the Empire can't handle alone."

"I appreciate your efforts. I know that you don't owe the Empire or myself anything."

"I owe the kid this much."

He took the reports in hand and moved to the door. "Let's go. We don't have any time to waste."

They headed down to the conference room, soldiers stunned at their passing. Schwann, hero of the Great War, was still alive in spite of rumors that stated otherwise. He wondered how Raven felt, wearing that outfit and walking these halls once more, following behind him as he had once walked behind Alexei. Again, that name angered him. A once great, well-respected man, corrupted by his own power, became a puppet master, using people and them tossing them aside like trash. Even Flynn had been used. He promised himself that he would not follow in his predecessor's footsteps.

The conference room was abuzz, but silenced immediately as he and Raven entered. The assembled Council and captains stood, staring with mouths agape.

"I call to order this meeting." Flynn stood where he normally sat at the end of the table. On both sides of him were three out of his four captains, and behind him, Raven and Sodia. Ioder was present as well, and the whole of the Council, save the three empty seats at the opposite end of the table.

"We cannot begin without the Head of the Council," one of the council members said, eying him suspiciously.

"Councilmen Iskar, Ciroal, and Ruben will not be joining us. They fled Zaphias last night and their current whereabouts are unknown but we are trying to locate them."

The other council members looked at each other in shock and fear and the buzz of chatter rose once more. Ioder silenced this easily. His presence was by no means intimidating, but his regal air calmed the room. "Council, Commandant Flynn has a very serious announcement to make. Now is not the time for us to fight amongst each other as we have been, but to band together."

The din calmed once more and they sat waiting patiently for Flynn to speak. Ioder nodded and sat.

"Thank you, Master Ioder." His hands found the top of the table as he leaned over it slightly. He couldn't pace. He had to remain calm in spite of the millions of things going through his head and the millions of things that he had to do. "Council, we have evidence of the existence of a group of radicals known as Alexei's Word. They are moving in the darkness and just underneath of our noses. Such evidence shows that not only are the three missing Council members involved in this group, but the entire founding of the now destroyed colony of Vonael as well."

"What proof do you have?" A calm, older councilwoman named Teilra spoke.

He passed around the reports from Frings, and continued to speak as they examined these with wizened and cautious stares. "Captain Frings and his investigative unit have located technology employed only a year ago by the former Commandant himself. A shrine to Alexei as well as previously undocumented research laboratories were found beneath the Magistrate's manor among the ruins of the city. The investigation is still on there. As far the as traitors in our own midst, Captain Scwhann has information that is relevant."

Raven's body fell easily into the role that it once held. He saluted and stood straight up before the collected officials as if nothing had changed for him at all in the ten years he had been Alexei's puppet and the single year he had been free. "For two weeks, I have been observing the behavior of Councilman Iskar and have found his dealings both with certain known criminals around the capital and those who were known supporters of Alexei during his reign to be suspicious. He has been using the royal coffers to secretly fund illegal research and was a supporter of the effort to build the colony of Vonael on Yurzorea in the first place."

Heads nodded and whispers were exchanged as the reports were gone over amongst the Council members. Flynn and the assembled captains waited patiently as the Council seemed to be trying to come to verdict regarding the presenting of evidence.

"We have come to agreement that action must be taken. The things that former Commandant Alexei was pursuing were highly dangerous to the world and the Empire," Teilra spoke. As the next senior most Council member, the role of leadership fell to her. "If his followers are indeed pursuing similar ventures, we cannot allow this to stand. We authorize the arrest warrants for _former_ Councilmen Iskar, Ruben, and Ciroal. In addition, we authorize the movement of troops as you see fit in order to crush this threat against our Empire, Commandant Flynn. We cannot allow harm to befall our citizens."

"Thank you, Council members." At least for now, the Council seemed like they were willing to work with him instead of against him as they had been.

He laid out for them his plan. He would rally the troops and increase the security here in the capital first. After which, he would assemble several small brigades to scour the continents in search of the missing Councilmen, and he would leave Zaphias with a small brigade of his own for the colony of Vonael to meet with Captain Frings. This was a two-fold blessing, although he did not tell them that. It served to put him out of the capital since as far as he knew, his life was still in danger, thus making Zaphias a safer place, and he would be out there with Yuri and the others, who he didn't doubt would pick up the trail like no Knight could. He would leave Captains LeBlanc and Aurion to lead in his absence. Once the details had been agreed upon, the preparations began.

* * *

Flynn must have been in meetings still, because Yuri arrived in the stark silence of his state room. Maybe if he waited around for a bit, he'd stop by for one thing or another. He had told Flynn a little earlier that their paths would cross again, but he didn't expect to be back so soon.

He flopped down in Flynn's desk chair. It was much more comfortable than his own, being cushioned and not creaking under the slightest weight or rocking because the legs were uneven. Wandering out of boredom, he pulled open a few of the dark wood desk drawers. In the top drawer was a familiar stack of letters. It was the letters that Flynn had written to him. He read them once and they made him feel ill. He wondered how he'd feel about their contents now.

As he reread them, the illness didn't settle in his stomach, but they still seemed so romantic to him that it was lost on him. He remembered the letters hidden in Flynn's armoire, and he speculated on who might have written them, so he retrieved them to try to verify his suspicions.

There were easily two dozen of them, each one sealed with a heart shaped sticker. He opened them easily and his suspicions were confirmed.

He compared the one letter from Flynn and one of the letters from his armiore.

"You're both such saps. These are awful."

"W-What are you doing here?!"

He hadn't noticed the writer of the other set of letters enter. Sodia was visibly angry with him. Her rage was nearly seething out of her. Her hand was on her sword; it was no secret what she wanted to do to him.

"Nice to see you too."

She growled at him.

"Now, now, you could hurt someone like that. You wouldn't want to make a mess in the Commandant's room with that thing, would you?" He looked up at her from the corner of his eyes, smirking. If he taunted her enough, she might just attack him again. "It probably wouldn't be as bad as the mess that we made earlier though."

Sodia was struggling to hold herself back from striking him. "You need to leave."

"So have you gotten over me yet?"

She bit her lips to keep herself from yelling at him. "This fight isn't over yet. Don't think you've won, Yuri Lowell!" She reached to snatch the letters she had written out of his hands, but he pulled back easily.

"What? I thought you wanted Flynn to read these."

"Give those back!" She made another grab for them, but he deftly moved again.

"So, where is the Commandant?"

"He's on an investigation right now. He won't be back for a while." While he was slightly distracted, she snatched the letters and crumpled them. "I don't know why he'd be interested in seeing you anyway."

"Oh? He was interested in seeing me all last night. But I'm sure that you already know that." Taunting her was just too much fun, especially now that he could defend himself if she decided to try and take action against him once more. Unfortunately, he didn't have a lot of time to wait around. They were waiting on Raven before they left for Dahngrest, even though Yuri had another request for him.

"Just leave!"

He stood, shoving the letters into his vest. She seemed a little surprised that he was actually listening to her and she followed him as he headed into Flynn's state room. He thought he would change things up a little by leaving through the front door today. He also hoped to catch Raven on his way out. As he opened the front door, he pulled another letter out of his vest. He had written this one for Flynn. He had to admit it was the first time he had ever written to Flynn. This was far less romantic and wordy than any of the Commandant's unsent correspondences had been, but it made its point.

"Here. Make sure Flynn gets this."

She scowled at him, but took the letter anyway.

"And give him a goodbye kiss for me, would you?" As Yuri said that, he could see her face grow red with rage, but he ignored her and slipped out of the room. She didn't follow and he didn't care why.

He really disliked the halls of the palace. He never liked them, even when he wasn't being dragged through them on his way to the jail below. For being such a massive building, it always felt so cramped. That was mostly because of the overwhelming heaviness and coldness of the whole place. Even the Lower Quarter was warmer than this, but that wasn't because of the temperature.

People weren't stricken with duty there, and bound by the tight and awkwardly formed rules of society. When they weren't working themselves to the bone, people milled about in the cold streets, chatting and visiting and in a good spirit in spite of the cold. Evenings were often spent down in the Comet, beside a warm fireplace that he had helped install, drinks and food passing hand to hand cheerfully as people celebrated every little thing. He and Repede often spent winter nights like that, listening to retired soldiers and old hunters tell a myriad of stories that may or may not have been true, and being asked if a 'world traveling troublemaker' like himself had any to add. It wasn't that he didn't have a good story or two, he just never told them. Stories about him were occasionally passed around though, usually about his and Flynn's childhood antics, and each time they were told, they got wilder. After the tavern closed and the drunks were sent on their way, the whole of the Lower Quarter would crawl quietly into bed, a little warmer than before and a little happier too.

It wasn't like he was going to miss those cold winter nights spent like that or anything. He was itching to get back to business.

One long corridor gave way to another and he passed several Royal Guards, all of whom knew who he was and didn't pay any real mind to him. At this late in the day, he was sure that they had all already heard the rumors about his and Flynn's relationship, but he didn't care. If they hadn't guessed it from all the bragging Flynn apparently did about him, then they knew now.

"Hey, kid." Raven's voice from behind him broke his walking rhythm just as he neared the door.

"Hey, Old Man." He turned and looked at him. It had been over a year since he had seen him in his orange and white captain's uniform, and he found it strange to see him there once more. This was the Raven he had known, but also traces of Captain Schwann that he usually tried so hard to hide were showing through in just his mannerism and movements.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just stopped by to see Flynn, but I have it on decent authority that he's off on an investigation."

"Yeah. He and some of the Royal Guard are scouring Iskar's mansion for clues."

"I've got another favor to ask." Yuri felt like he had been asking for a lot from Raven lately, but the scruffy man never argued and rarely complained.

"Go ahead."

"I know you're probably ready to get back to Dahngrest by now, but I'd like you to stick with Flynn for a while." Yuri knew that he could trust Raven to keep an eye on things and help out since Flynn was going to need it.

Raven just stared at him quietly for a moment, and then broke a smile. "Why not? It's been interesting seeing how the kid's been doing trying to clean up Alexei's mess. Even I've got some faith in where he's going."

"Thanks, Old Man. We'll see you in Vonael in a few days then?"

"The Commandant's going to rally the troops and we'll meet ya there. Keep Harry informed, would ya?"

"Sure thing." He was planning on paying the Don a visit anyway. They needed as many trustworthy eyes and ears as alert as possible at this moment. Harry must have had other spies than just Raven in the Union's service, and surely there were those among the guilds who still had a beef with Alexei that they wouldn't mind taking out on his zealous minions. This was not just a problem for the Empire. If they got too powerful, it would be a problem for everyone, and another Adephagos sized disaster was something that Yuri wanted to avoid.

"See you later, kid. I've got work to do."

Yuri turned and left the palace. He had work to do also, and he was ready to be out of this city.


	43. Chapter 43 - Stories

Author's Notes: It's been a long two weeks. If after this chapter, the symbolism is still confusing you, please pm me and I'll try to explain it to you.

Tales of Vesperia is property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 43 - Stories

It was nice to finally leave the snowy city of Zaphias behind and return to the skies once more. That freedom was a wonderful feeling and he had not at all forgotten what it was like to be out of the smothering shadow of the Empire. Zaphias had its good points and half of the time, he still resided there, but while there he was still the Lower Quarter Troublemaker, Yuri Lowell. He was not quite so notorious in the rest of the world yet, and being elsewhere gave him the ability to be someone other than a troublemaker. That being said, the guild city of Dahngrest had not too long ago begun to notice the guild Brave Vesperia.

It was cold in Dahngrest and instead of snow, icy rain fell. Winter was winter after all, and Dahngrest's position near to the ocean kept it only a little warmer than the landlocked capital.

They entered town over the long bridge that connected it from one stretch of land to the other.

"Karol!" Nan rushed them just as they were making it over the bridge, although she did not look as happy as one might expect. She looked quite distressed. This, of course, distressed Karol. Nan was not one to be easily riled.

"Nan! What's wrong?"

"Someone broke into your guild headquarters! These two girls went to the Don, demanding to see Brave Vesperia the other day and now they've taken up waiting for you there, instead."

"Two girls..." Judith mused, looking skyward.

"They said that they wouldn't leave until they see you! I tried to fight them off..."

"Thanks, Nan. We'll take care of it."

"It could be a trap!"

Yuri put a hand on Karol's shoulder, standing over him with a smile. "Don't worry. If it's a trap, the boss here will be able to handle it no problem. Nobody can get the drop on him."

"T-That's right!"

Nan scowled, narrowing her eyes at Yuri as if saying 'Why are you encouraging this..."

"We'll be fine. There's six of us and only two of them, right? We have strength in numbers. Don't worry, Nan. We'll make sure Karol doesn't get hurt," Estelle added in.

Nan and Karol both blushed and neither looked at the other.

"Just be careful." She turned and left as quickly as she had arrived.

They walked to their tiny headquarters. The door was shut but the lights were on. Judith slowly opened the door, Karol and Yuri ready to jump into the fray. Tension hung heavy in the air.

As the door swung open, they found two familiar girls seated on the sofa next to a slightly drunken Asch and Luke. The first girl had red hair and wore a serious face, while the other had light green hair and seemed like she was having fun.

"Well, if it isn't Droite and Gauche." Even Yuri was a little surprised to see Yeager's lackeys drinking on their sofa with their own guild members.

"Sorry, Boss, we tried tooo..." Luke was trying to explain, but was slurring his speech.

"We're here to kill you, Yuri Lowell and Brave Vesperia!" Gauche shouted, standing.

"Actually, we want to join your guild," Droite corrected.

"Wha..?." Karol was stunned.

"Why?" The two girls would make strong additions to the guild, if this weren't such an obvious ploy for revenge. If they were serious though, Yuri might be willing to rethink turning them away, provided that they could prove it, and adhere to the guild's laws.

"We know that you're going after Alexei's Word. We want in on it."

"And we're really bored since Leviathan's Claw dissolved."

"Why should we believe you when you break into our headquarters, hold our members hostage and threaten our lives?" Judith was ever the rational one. "It's easy to assume that you still hold a grudge over what happened to Yeager. Among our ranks, we would be easy targets for you."

"No. We really do want to join you," Gauche said.

"We miss Yeager, but we know now that there was no other way for him to free of Alexei other than death."

They seemed sincere and Karol was no longer stunned, but was taking things into consideration.

"Huddle up, Brave Vesperia!"

With the order, they moved to the end of their long conference table and grouped together closely so that their discussion could not be heard.

"What do you guys think?"

"If they want to join us, why not?"

"And leave ourselves open to attack at any moment or have the reputation of our guild destroyed?"

"How about a trial basis?" Yuri suggested. "It'll let them help us and we'll still be able to keep an eye on them."

"It's hard to believe that you of all people actually _trust_ them."

"It's not really a matter of me trusting them. If they have information though, we could be letting these zealots slip out of our grasp. We should at least hear what they have to say. I can pass judgment on their trustworthiness later."

She sighed. "What do you think, Karol?"

He was quiet for a long moment, his hand on his chin. For a thirteen year old, he was weighing this heavily. The fate of their guild, of the guild that they founded together and fought together to save the world as a part of it, could depend on his decision. Droite and Gauche had once been their enemies, but that also meant that they could easily have information otherwise unavailable to them. "I think a trial basis is a great idea. If they can help us catch the people who did this to Yuri, then I'm for it."

Yuri was a little surprised. "Don't be so concerned with that. We have to stop them before they hurt other people. That's the important part."

"You act like we shouldn't want revenge for your sake." That smile she wore could be so infuriating and teasing.

"My revenge isn't important." It wasn't that he hadn't thought on the topic before, but there were bigger problems right now.

"If it were one of us though, we know you'd be out for blood," Karol added.

It was true and Yuri changed the subject quickly. "Alright. If you think it's a good idea, Boss, I'm behind you."

"I second the vote."

Repede let out a soft wuff from beside them where he had been listening in and watching the two girls.

"Repede said he'll keep a close eye on those two."

"Yuri... do you really know what's he's saying?"

"Of course I do."

Judith giggled.

Karol turned to the two girls. "All right. We're going to let you join us on a trial basis. If we find that you're trustworthy, then we'll let you join full time."

"Agreed."

"Yay!"

The guild leader swore them in, making sure that they agreed to follow the guild's laws. He sent Luke and Asch home to rest and told them to come back in the morning for some work. It appeared as though, even with their notice, requests still piled up. Judith and Karol stayed behind to go over some information with Droite and Gauche, and to go over the requests, while Yuri and Estelle went out to the market to pick up food for dinner. Rita stayed behind, her nose ever in a book when Estelle wasn't at her side.

They returned after a little while and started to prepare dinner.

After their uneventful meal, they all sat at the conference table, Droite and Gauche seated at one end.

"So, what kind of information to you have for us?"

"We went to the Manor of the Wicked. We know that the area has been under control of the Imperial Knights recently after that faction of Alexei's Word was found there, but it was our home."

"But there weren't any Knights when we got there. And the whole place was locked up. All the windows had been bricked over and even our secret entrance was sealed so tightly that we couldn't break in."

So far he wasn't terribly impressed by this information. Flynn could have easily recalled the Knights and told them to seal off the building to prevent this from happening again.

"Is that all?" Judith seemed equally unimpressed.

"There were a few big holes in the ground in the back of the house. It looked like a row of graves, but they were empty."

"As far as the Manor goes, that's all we know, but we do have this." Gauche pulled a small, thin book out of a pocket in her skirt and handed it to Yuri.

He looked at it briefly. The words were lost on him, but there were a lot of numbers. He handed it to Judith, who seemed to better understand its contents.

"This is..."

"Yeager's ledger. He was keeping track of every piece of equipment that he acquired for Alexei. As you can see, it also details what went where. Quite a bit of equipment went to Yurzorea, well before the founding of the colony of Vonael."

"Why there though?"

"It's a continent of nearly endless unused natural resources and it's far from the watchful eyes of the Empire."

"From what Yeager told us, the colony had been in Alexei's plans all along."

"And after his death, his cult followed through with things just as planned." He understood why they would want to kill Flynn. It was easy to believe that their bitterness at the new Commandant was for the defeat of his predecessor. But if what Flynn said was true, that the blastia heart in Yuri's chest was meant for him, why the conflicting motives? If they merely wanted to poison him with the Cerania, there were a million ways that were easier than a full frontal attack in broad daylight. They could have easily poisoned his food or snuck in under the cover of dark, or tainted his clothing or armor or sword or shield of any of the number of other things that Flynn's hands touched throughout his daily duties. Did they want to kill him, or give him a heart? Yuri had no doubt that Flynn would have survived the flu-like effects of the Cerania with Estelle's help, just as he had, but he couldn't help question what was going on.

"Yes. That seems to be the case."

"We also know that Alexei put a mark out on Flynn Scifo's head long ago, before his breaking away from the Empire."

They never had really gotten a straight answer to that a year ago. "Why? Flynn was an obedient little Knight at the time."

"He believed that Flynn Scifo was getting too close to discovering the truth behind the barrier blastia incidents and everything else going on within the ranks of the Empire at the time."

A lot of this just wasn't making sense. Perhaps there were conflicts within the organization itself. He would just have to find out at the source.

"What's wrong, Yuri? You've hardly touched your apple pie."

He only just noticed that everyone else had gone to bed and he was still sitting there at the conference table staring at that infernal pie. "It's nothing."

"Do you not like apples?" She sat down next to him, topping off his now cold tea.

"No. I really like them. Look, it's not important."

"Does it have something to do with Flynn? Yuri, if something's bothering you, I want to do my best to help."

Geez, did everybody know? He paused before answering. Was it really worth bearing his memories to her to? "It's just that they take me back. Flynn and I share a special memory involving apples. It just makes me think too much."

"What kind of memory?" Her green eyes were bright with curiosity. She had only really heard of their memories together from Flynn's point of view. Yuri so rarely talked about the things that they had experienced as children. She already knew so much, what could a little more hurt? After all, she could be as stubborn as Flynn sometimes and if he didn't tell her now, she could only ask Flynn, and he would have definitely told her.

"When we were kids, after Flynn's dad died and it was just the two of us, I snuck into some nobleman's orchard and tried to steal us some apples so that we wouldn't starve. Well, long story short, the noble set his dogs on me and I ended up making it out of there with just one. I gave it to him, but we ended up sharing it."

He didn't like the look that crossed her face. Her eyes glittered and looked out distantly, dreamily. Her hands flew to her cheeks that were flushed. He could tell that her vision of the events was not at all what truly happened. She was over romanticizing. "Yuri, that's so romantic!"

"What?"

"In ancient lore, the apple is supposed to be the fruit of destiny, and sharing it with a person that you care about is supposed to bind them to you forever. Two lovers bound together by the fruit of destiny."

He passed a hand over his face in frustration and sighed. "Getting mauled by dogs and nearly starving to death are not romantic."

She ignored that, her eyes still alight. "Yuri, do you love Flynn?"

"No."

She looked at him in shock.

"You can 'love' anybody. Love is easily given and taken and shared. The things I feel for Flynn are different. They can't be described in a single word. I don't know if a whole book full or words could describe it."

"Wow. You and Flynn really share such an incredible bond! I'm sure that he's thinking about you right now too." She was really much more well meaning than was necessary. Her meddling in their relationship was adorable and sisterly. "You may not realize it, but you're really poetic!"

He groaned. She wasn't thinking about how many times those dogs may have bitten him or how much a hungry stomach hurts when you're just a kid or how much like a failure he must have felt when he returned with only a single apple. She was thinking about what a beautiful self sacrifice that must have been and how caring Yuri was to put himself in danger in order to save them. He still had scars on his legs from that moment in time, he was lucky that was all that remained. He could have broken any number of his limbs or gotten an infection from the numerous bites, or been mauled to death by the dogs that had been trained to hunt. To them, peasants weren't much different than common monsters, just like in the eyes of a noble. He'd been lucky.

It wasn't like Flynn didn't do his share of taking care of them. He was much less risky about it. He would ask the local vendors and taverns if he could work for food and every so often he would bring them home table scraps or day old bread or the leftovers from the bottom of a stew pot. While Flynn, even as a child, was well thought of in the Lower Quarter. Yuri wasn't often given the same chances. Even when his grandmother was alive, he was known about town as a troublemaker.

Estelle excused herself, saying that she needed to go to bed, but the look in her eyes told him that she would not be sleeping, but instead writing as she had been prone to do lately. He had made a mistake. He had created a monster. Her vision had to have been complete with a hazily lit rose garden and sparkling nonsense that was so common in upper class romantic literature. It made him want to vomit.

He ate the pie anyway. It was good.

After a little while, he climbed the rickety stairs to his own tiny room and flopped down on the bed. He had a lot to do tomorrow and he needed rest, but he wasn't sleepy. He pulled the letters out of the inside of his vest that had been there all day, nestled carefully next to his heart.

A soft smile spread across his face as he reread them and for the first time in a very long while, he didn't mind that his bed was empty.


	44. Chapter 44 - Sodia

Author's Notes: So, this happened.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 44 - Sodia

It seemed like forever since she slept, but she didn't let the tiredness get to her. She was helping Flynn, and that alone was enough to keep her going. She had been running all around the palace, gathering information, issuing orders, checking on training drills, and keeping in contact with the Commandant the whole time. Sodia didn't mind being run a little ragged. If she didn't like that challenge and the pain that would surely follow, she would never have joined the military in the first place. Her single-minded determination did occasionally work in her favor.

She was still mad at Yuri Lowell, although she wasn't sure that she ever _stopped_ being mad at him. She had reluctantly delivered the letter he had given her for Flynn, even though she had been tempted to burn it and forget that he had even shown up. His presence there was merely to rub her nose in the intimacy that he shared with Flynn that she sadly did not. She was not giving up though. If she fought hard enough, she could win this.

At least that's what she told herself. It kept her going, as delusional as it was.

"Sodia, why don't you get some sleep? I can handle things from here this evening. Come back in the morning after you've had some rest."

"I'm fine, Sir." She was rarely concerned with her appearance, but she hoped that he didn't notice the dark bags hanging under her bloodshot eyes.

She looked over the troop assignments one more time. They were blurring in her vision. She rubbed her eyes in aggravation. This was not going to get to her. She was going to hold out as long as possible for Flynn. She was not going to collapse like some delicate waif. She was made of tougher stuff than that. Flynn knew that, but she wondered if he ever noticed that in spite of that tough exterior of hers, she was still a woman on the inside. She could only hope that his romantic interests in Yuri Lowell would be fleeting at best and he would soon move on from the one person who seemed not be interested at all in any interaction of the sort. Flynn must have just been confusing his long-term friendship with love. She had to convince herself of these things to keep from going crazy.

"You know, if you want, you can go on ahead to Vonael. I'll send you with a few of the Royal Guards and you can try to catch up with Yuri." He thought that he was being kind, but it was not kind. It was infuriating that he still thought she was his rival and not Yuri's.

"No, Sir," she replied through gritted teeth. "That's quite alright. I'll stay and do what I can to help you." Yuri's taunting was still a fresh wound in her mind along with Flynn's gentle talk about how Yuri 'couldn't reciprocate her feelings' that didn't exist. If she caught up with him, Flynn might never see him again and as much as she hated Yuri, she didn't want to see Flynn in the state that he had been in after the events at the Shrine of Zaude.

As soon as he woke, he was asking for Yuri. He had tried to crawl out of his bed, not caring how much he was in pain and whether or not the wound in his chest was closed or about anything else but Yuri. She could see how his heart sunk when no one had been able to find him. Guilt consumed her, but she didn't say anything. She had disposed of the dagger over the edge of the platform where she had committed the heinous deed and hoped that that would be the end of things. It was not. She underestimated how hard Flynn would look for Yuri and how much he cared. He scoured the Shrine, taking boats out as often as possible with Repede beside him, hunting for any trace of his friend. That was the moment that she knew how he really felt about his childhood friend. It was killing him inside to not know what happened.

Even on the way to Aurnion, he never stopped scanning the skies and the waters and shore for any sign of Yuri. Once there, he fought fiercely to defend the colony from wave after wave of monsters, but his heart wasn't really in it. His step slowed and his blue eyes were always distant and his voice lost its confidence. Nothing else made her feel as bad about what she had done as that did. She had not just killed Yuri Lowell, her most bitter rival, the one person completely unworthy of Flynn, but she had killed Flynn also. When Yuri showed up in Aurnion, there to save the day, it was like Flynn was resurrected. His confidence and fighting spirit returned once more, and although he did not cry, she was sure that he would have if he'd been able.

Through the window, breaking her thoughts, she could see the barest traces of dawning grey and gold over the buildings of Zaphias. She felt so heavy and bartered with her body for just a moment of rest on the sofa before continuing.

Her head tilted to one of her shoulders, and she could hear Flynn talking, going over details of the things he planned and she listened as his voice drifted in and out. She fought off sleep, but her eyelids were so weighty. Just a moment of rest, she promised herself. Just a few moments.

* * *

She woke, bleary eyed, slumped on the sofa in Flynn's state room. It was daylight and she wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but it was well after dawn. The state room was silent. Flynn must have been in his morning meetings, but many of the materials from the long night of work past still remained spread out on the table in front of her.

Sodia sat up, pulling off the heavy blue blanket that was still warm. She hoped that Flynn had put it there. She looked around briefly, folding the blanket neatly and tightly in the common military style and left it to rest on the sofa as she moved into the bedroom. It was quiet and cold and neat. Flynn's bed was still perfectly made, the corners straight and not a ripple in its surface. She placed a hand tentatively on it, smoothing the covers with her palm.

She wanted a place here. In this room, in this bed. She didn't want to believe the things that she _knew_ had happened in this bed between the man that she loved and the man that she hated. She wasn't going to give up. Flynn's eyes were still clouded with sweet childhood memories and he couldn't see Yuri for what he really was. A filthy, worthless, bloodied monster.

Her fingers curled tightly into the cover and she resisted with all her might pulling the whole thing away in a rage. She moved to the armoire. After Yuri left the day before, she had neatly put her unopened love letters back and when she opened the door, they were still sitting there, nestled underneath a few of Flynn's personal affects. Above these things was a shelf that bore a uniform that was faded with age, torn and dirty, folded with the most tender touch. Flynn never spoke of the person who had once worn this uniform, but she knew that it had been his father's.

To the right, past the stand that held his armor when he wasn't wearing it, was a row of his own blue and white uniforms hanging starched and stalwart. She ran her fingers along the sleeve of one of them. They were cold without the warmth of Flynn between the layers. She slowly pulled one out, running one hand lightly across its broad shoulders and down its tailored waist. She pressed her nose into it and breathed deep the fresh, clean scent of laundry soap and him. This was not the first time she had snuck into his room while he was in meetings or attending to other duties. This was the closest she had come to touching him and it still wasn't enough.

Sodia's hands fumbled and the uniform's hanger clattered to the floor. She reached down to pick it up. She had to leave things just as she found them, lest he notice. Just beyond the hem of the sleeve, directly under the edge of the armoire, she spied something. It was a book. She caught it up quickly. It was unlike Flynn to leave something like that just lying around.

It was a dusty, heavy, old tome, riddled with bookmarks of strips of paper and thin metal plates. She opened it and instantly wished that she hadn't. She snapped it closed and tried to block the image from her mind, but it was too late.

She stood, knocking the book back under the armoire where it definitely belonged and wished she had never seen it's contents. An angry heat clung to her skin, causing her ears to itch and her vision to feel red and watery. She had to leave Flynn's quarters quickly or run the risk of sating her venom there where he would undoubtedly find it.

As fast as her feet would carry her, she was down in the practice courtyard. There was no one else around, save the stalwart, scarred wooden practice dummies that stood all around, waiting for their next fight. In her eyes, each had the face of her enemy, smirking, taunting her over the things that had happened between him and Flynn, of the relationship that she longed to have, or her rage and her feeble attempt to cut him out of Flynn's life. She had failed against him at Zaude, but these dummies with his face put up no resistance against the strength of her hate and her blade.

* * *

Sodia tried not to yawn from her spot beside Flynn and with the former Captain Schwann within viewing distance. She had really used so much energy defeating practice dummies that she was now no better off than she had been the night before. The only difference now was that the rage from earlier was now replaced by a sense of duty: both to Flynn and to showing him the truth about Yuri. Not the truth he knew about long time friendship and now illicit romance, but the truth of him as a murderer, as a cancerous spot on society that would one day ruin everything Flynn had worked for. Surely then he would come to realize the error in his affections, and he would be free of the dark sway his childhood friend somehow held over him. She didn't think about the fiery kisses or tender embrace they may have exchanged of the bruised bite marks dotting Flynn's neck that she was sure weren't the only ones. She thought instead about that being her place, a place that she was fighting for. She had not lost this fight yet.

The speech he delivered was moving and empowering. He had charisma and a way with words like no other. But she was not listening to his words. She already knew them all. She had been there when he wrote the speech and instead, her eyes and the ice blue eyes of Schwann scanned the crowd of Knights spread out before them, standing staunch, rank and file.

Flynn told her that Schwann was there to help, to try and pick out the traitors in their midst using his resources. She respected him, but had to admit that she didn't like him much. He was the definition of two faced. When he was with Yuri, he was Raven, a scruffy, perverted old man, a far cry from the hero of the Great War she had heard about as a child. He held no allegiance to the Empire any longer, but why was he here now, dressed in that orange and white uniform? Was it because of Yuri? And if it was, then why? What did Yuri hold over him that persuaded him to do something he must have hated for every moment? What did that old man see in Yuri that made him go against his very nature?

Whatever it was, it was different than the sway he held over Flynn. It was not sweet memories and close ties, but she couldn't tell what it was. Why was he so, dare she say, devoted? She couldn't understand what people saw in Yuri Lowell. He had friends, but why? He was a lone wolf, who kept all of them, even Flynn, at arm's length. What about him drove them to him? She wanted to know what it was, but at the same time, she was glad that she was free of it, a singular, disgusted onlooker able to see him beyond his sarcastic mask.

As Flynn's speech finished, the troops saluted and applauded him. Maybe Alexei's Word was not rooted as deeply as they were lead to believe and they had managed to uproot most, if not all, of the ones that lingered amongst the Knights. She knew that was stupidly optimistic. She knew that anyone that Schwann pointed out was suspicious, and several had been taken into custody. Some of them aided the flight of the missing councilmen, some of them had received orders to attack the Commandant on sight, and others were still awaiting orders that appeared to be directly from Iskar and several known criminals from around Zaphias. Even with their capture, they could not rest easily. There could easily be others lurking in the shadows. She knew that's why Yuri never told Flynn about what happened at Zaude. He was using her to defend Flynn, even if it cost her her own life, because it was what she would do.

They would depart for Vonael the next day, with troops and supplies to aid Captain Frings, but she disagreed with Flynn going. His place was no longer in the field, but commanding from a distance like a chess master. He would go anyway, in spite of her reservations, but at least she got to be there beside him.


	45. Chapter 45 - Cooperation

Author's Notes: Sorry. This is another short chapter. I'll try to post another one sometime early next week to make up for it. Also, I'm sorry if the past few chapters have been boring/uninteresting/whatever. Things will get exciting again soon. I promise.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 45 - Cooperation

The scent of breakfast woke him the next morning. It was later than he had intended to be getting up, but he didn't really care. He gathered up the letters and put them in his pack instead of back in his vest. He joined the others for breakfast before they all went their separate ways. Estelle and Rita went to do some research, Judith had some guild business to take care of, Karol promised to go see Nan after getting Luke and Asch on a few beginner jobs for the day. Yuri and Repede went to see Harry. Raven had requested that he be informed, and Yuri had some questions for him. Hopefully Raven's contacts would have picked up his job while absent and would have been informing him of any movement.

The guards didn't mind him as he entered Union Headquarters. He carried the Union's Comrade Crest on the scabbard of the Second Star. They knew him from around town, both because of his guild work with Brave Vesperia, and because that he was the one person to step up and be the original Don Whitehorse's second during his ritual suicide in order to keep a war from breaking out. People did not automatically look at him in suspicion, but instead he was respected here. It was kind of nice.

Harry was in conference with his fellow guild members when he arrived, so he waited around, chatting a little with a few other people who were there to see the Don as well. There were no terribly interesting rumors floating around, but he still hoped that Harry may have heard something that everyone else had not. If he had sent Raven to Vonael in the first place on account of some rumors, he must have known something.

It was probably half an hour before he was allowed to see Harry, who sat at the head of the Union's conference room, in the chair that once held his powerful grandfather, surrounded by his peers.

"Yuri Lowell of Brave Vesperia." He smiled. "What business brings you before the Union?"

"Raven asked me to keep you informed about what's going on since he's doing me a favor." He shifted his glance around a moment. The two other guild heads sat in the room as well. He had worked personally with both of them: Kaufman of Fortune's Market, and Nobis Celestial of Soul Smiths. "Raven is currently in Zaphias aiding Commandant Flynn at my request. Due to the recent activity in Vonael, he is being forced to take action against a group known as Alexei's Word."

"Alexei's Word?"

"They are a group of people who still believe Alexei's path for the world was correct and are taking actions to put it back on that path, including the attempted assassination of Flynn. We don't know what else they are currently working on, but we need your assistance. This is not a threat that the Empire can handle alone."

Harry nodded, listening. "We do have a friendship pact with the Empire. What can we do to help?"

"I need to know what made you send Raven with us to Vonael."

"We received rumors through some of his contacts that the colony had a strange increase in monsters in that area. I was worried that since Vonael is not too far from here, the monster activity could possibly increase here as well. And it seemed more than a little shady that the Empire would found a colony so far from their capital that it could not be easily reached if there were trouble."

"That's understandable. What we really need is for you to keep an eye out and an ear close to the ground about anything else suspicious going on. If Raven's contacts know anything, I need to know it, too."

"I will collect whatever information that I can. Is there anything else?"

He was a little surprised that he was being so accommodating. Did he feel like he owed Yuri after what happened with his grandfather and for apparently saving his wife's life? "Would you send someone out to the Manor of the Wicked? I just have an inkling. We know that there was some activity by Alexei's Word there not that long ago."

"I will send a group as soon as possible." He turned to Kaufman and Nobis. "What say you, members of the Union?"

"Brave Vesperia has always proven to be truthful in Fortune's Market's dealings with them. I have no reason to doubt them."

"Soul Smiths bears a similar opinion. They had done right by us and we will do the same." Nobis was the one of the two he was worried about convincing. They had worked together before, but the stern and serious older man was difficult to read. From what Yuri knew of him, he did not trust fledgling guilds and had hired Brave Vesperia because there was simply no one else who was available at the time. He hadn't complained about their performance protecting their important delivery and paid them exactly what he had offered, no more no less.

"Thank you for your consideration."

"We will do our best to aid you. Let us know if you need anything else."

With that approval, he left, Repede in tow, hopeful to know more soon. Another two days in Dahngrest gave him nothing new to work with though as they prepared to meet with Flynn and the troops in Vonael.


	46. Chapter 46 - Fight

Author's Notes: If you've read Suspicious Popsicle's _Undertow_, you may remember Adrien. She borrowed him with my permission. He's not much different here, except you get to see more of him.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 46 - Fight

Their business in Dahngrest wrapped up for the time being and the junior guild members off working jobs while they were gone, the rest of the party moved on toward Vonael. That feeling of freedom washed over him once more when he reminded himself that he wasn't stuck in one place anymore.

Yuri was ready to find the people responsible for his new heart. In Dahngrest, he acted like he wasn't interested in revenge, which wasn't completely true. He longed for it, but his own revenge wasn't worth killing over. He knew though that if this had been done to him, it surely had happened to others too. And if the poison on that knife and his heart really had been meant for Flynn, it only made his desire greater. Endangering the future that they both worked so hard for. That was worth dirtying his hands once more for. This was the path he'd chosen before, and he would continue to walk it until the end. There was no turning back.

As they neared Vonael, the winter clouds forced Ba'ul to have to fly them a little lower, which he didn't mind. The ground and water racing underneath oneself was exhilarating.

Something was wrong though and Ba'ul warble alerted them to something off the bow. Below them was the Imperial camp. Encroaching on its walls were hordes of monsters. Yuri was ready for action, and rushed the horde as soon as Ba'ul dropped them off. Everyone else fell easily into their roles as well.

Easily the monsters fell before his blade, one after another until he was caught in the midst of it. There were hundreds of them, some of them he recognized, others he did not. That was not his concern right now though. Holding them at bay until they retreated or destroying them all was his main purpose now. Whichever came first. As his fighting took him further in, the monsters became tougher. He was glad for that challenge.

He spun and his back hit something. It was not a monster, thankfully, but it was warm and a very familiar scent filled his nose over the monster blood, clean and bright like sunshine.

"Good to see you here."

"Good to be here."

With his back pressed against Flynn's, they fought as fiercely as they ever had, as fiercely as in Aurnion, as fiercely as they always had to survive. Together they were unbeatable.

Judy darted past them, pursuing a particularly large Judasey. She smirked, ever knowing, as she sprinted by, but did not cease her pursuit. Karol ran by a few times also, swinging his huge sword and taking out almost as many monsters as Yuri had. Every time they got knocked around a little too much, Estelle would rush by and would blast them quickly with her healing artes, with Rita in tow to defend her. From a distance, Raven easily picked off beast after beast with his bow, supporting both of them and all the knights that were holding their own. Unlike previous troops he had seen, Yuri felt like these were well trained. Flynn's improvements were already taking hold.

After a long time, the last remnants of the monster horde retreated back into the cold, Yurzorea forest, their numbers dangerously low now.

Flynn grabbed his hand, squeezing gently. He came around a little to face him. "Thanks."

"No problem." He grinned. He should have been tired by now, but he wasn't.

"I'd love to stay and chat some more, but I have a few things to take care of. We've got a cottage for all of you in the camp. Make yourselves at home."

"Sounds good."

"Feel free to head to the mess hall too. Cooking's not as good of yours, but it's edible. I'll catch up with you later."

"See you then."

Flynn smiled and pulled away, walking out to speak with some of the soldiers and no doubt issue orders. After a moment, Karol and the others found their way to Yuri, gathering all around, a little worn out but no worse for wear.

"That was fun."

"Aren't you tired, Judith?"

"Not at all. That was a great work out."

"It was pretty intense out there."

"Is everyone all right?"

They all took a few moments to calm down and get collected before they were approached by a knight who Yuri was able to identify as being of the LeBlanc Brigade. "You must be our civilian guest investigators. Right this way and I'll show you to your living quarters."

He showed them to a small but comfortable little cottage with a small dining area and two bedrooms packed with sturdy, standard military bunk beds. "It's not much I'm afraid, but please make yourselves at home here. I'm sure it will be a pleasure working with you." He left them to explore the tiny building after pointing out a few of the other buildings in the encampment.

"Some set up they've got here," Rita said with the barest of interest.

"Well, Frings's been here investigatin' for about a month. These buildin's hold up better against the winter than tents and are pretty quick to assemble. Makes it a little more comfortable for the troops stuck out here," Raven explained.

In the bedroom, Karol was quick to claim the top bunk, so Yuri threw his pack in the lower one and took a moment to stretch before heading back into the dining room, where everyone else was gathered.

"I'm going to see if I can help the medic with the injured." Of course that's what Estelle would do.

"You're going to wear yourself out like that!" Rita complained, but still followed Estelle as she headed across the camp to the medic's building.

"I think I'm going to head to the mess hall. All this fighting's gotten me kind of hungry." Yuri's stomach growled loudly enough for the assembled party members to hear.

"I'll come along," Judith said. "I'm feeling peckish myself."

Karol went off to gather information from the soldiers and mingle, and Raven went to take a nap. Yuri assumed that he wasn't really taking a nap, but instead being the worst ninja. So he and Judith headed to the long, wooden building that housed the mess hall. There was a group of soldiers there, resting after their recent battle.

They surveyed the building. The camp was pretty well set up for something that was supposed to be temporary. The hall contained several rows of long tables and benches were some of the knights were dining on an early dinner, presumably before starting their evening shifts. The kitchen at the very end was quaint and serviceable and the smell coming out of it reminded him of his own days in the knights.

"Something smells... interesting." Judith tried to smile. She didn't know what the Imperial Knights considered food. Their standards were very, _very_ low.

"This was a mistake." He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "We brought food, right? Let's just cook in our cabin." Even Repede's dog food would be better than whatever was stewing in that kitchen.

"Agreed."

They turned quickly to retreat, but were met by something that Yuri had not expected, walking through the door which they were planning to exit. The young man had light blond hair, pale blue eyes, and tan skin, and was not Flynn.

Yuri instantly regretted not recognizing the last name 'Frings' earlier. "Son of a –"

"Yuri, I can't believe you," Judith smiled, obviously having figured it out. "Using someone as a substitute is cruel, although the resemblance is a bit startling."

"We are not talking about this."

"If you say so."

The young man approached, a thin smile across his tanned face. "It's been a while. I didn't think I'd see you again, and here of all places. How about we go get a few drinks?"

He felt a little ill suddenly. Before he could even think of a reply or denial, Flynn approached, followed by another blond with the same pale eyes, wearing gold and black in the cut of an Imperial Knight Captain's uniform. "Ah, Yuri, this is Aslan and Adrien Frings. Aslan served in Aurnion during the rise of the monster population and Adrien and I served together before my promotion to captain."

"You must be Yuri Lowell. The Commandant has told me much about you." Aslan said. He spoke with a softer tone that one would expect of someone described as 'lion hearted'. He seemed stern and calm and straight forward and nothing at all like his younger twin, Adrien, who was known as something of a partier.

"We've already met," Adrien said.

If Yuri had seen a rock large enough, he would have taken the opportunity to crawl under it. Judith had been right, and he had only just realized it. Adrien had cut his hair recently, and now he realized just how much like Flynn he looked. His skin was a bit darker and his hair and eyes a little paler, but their likenesses were very close nonetheless.

"Oh? When did you two meet?"

"About a year and a half ago. Look, it's really not all that important." He waved a hand trying to play it off. His and Adrien's encounter had been brief and not worth mentioning at all.

"That's cold of you. I thought we had a good time."

He pressed his hand to his forehead and then slid it down his face in frustration. Of all the times for this to come out, now was probably the worst. He avoided Flynn's eyes, which were staring at him questioningly.

"Yuri, are you alright?" Flynn's hand reached for his own, but he kept it safely out of range.

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?" That sounded a little more panicked than he had expected.

"Can we talk in private?"

Oh fuck. Better to get it out now than hide it, he supposed. "Fine."

Flynn turned to Aslan. "We will discuss your findings further a little later."

"Of course, Sir. Adrien, let's go."

Adrien, of course, looked to Yuri. "Maybe we can catch up later." He smiled and walked away, giving Yuri a look that he was not comfortable with at all.

He followed Flynn to the building that had been assembled as his quarters while in Vonael. At least it would be more private than a tent would have been. As soon as the door was shut, Flynn turned to him.

"Yuri, what was that about?" He didn't waste any time.

Yuri really didn't want to have to explain this, but he had already decided that this was for the best. Better tell him now before things got messy. "Long story short, I _may_ have had a one night stand with Adrien Frings. And by may have, I mean I did."

Flynn's jaw tightened.

"That was a long time ago. Before the whole mess with the Adephagos. It's in the past."

"I can't believe you. You slept with someone who was in my brigade?"

That's what he was mad about? "I didn't know it at the time."

"Did you not notice the uniform?" His voice was getting a little louder.

"He was in civilians." Yuri's was getting louder too. This was quickly descending into a shouting match.

"Why? Why did you sleep with him?"

"For fuck's sake, Flynn, maybe I was lonely! I had an itch and I needed to scratch it! It's not like he was the first!"

"What kind of promiscuous lifestyle have you been leading, Yuri?! Just how many people have you slept with?!"

"Can you honestly tell me that you've never slept with anyone else?"

"I tried to have an actual relationship! Not just some one night stands!"

Anger surged in him, so hot that he couldn't even speak. All the words he had to explain to Flynn what was going on in as little detail as possible were gone and he was left with nothing but rage. He turned away. If he looked at him any more, he'd do something that he would regret.

Flynn didn't stop him as he stormed out.

He didn't even notice how far he walked until he heard a barking behind him. He was almost all the way out of the Imperial encampment, far from the argument he still felt raging in his veins. He turned to see Judith and Repede a few yards behind him. His lips felt like they were glued shut. He didn't want to talk, especially to the two people who actually knew how he felt. He turned away from them.

"Wouldn't be headed out of town, would you?"

He fought for words that weren't filled with anger. He had no reason to be venomous with them. "Just going for a walk. I'll be back."

The cold tone of his voice must of have alerted them because Repede merely whined at him in worry.

"Be careful, okay?" Judith must have realized that he needed some time alone. Normally she would have followed and hounded him for details and tried to help all in her own way.

Yuri only nodded, and kept walking. He just wanted to be alone. He walked for a good fifteen minutes, listening to snow and ice crunch beneath his feet, until he was well out of range of the encampment. He could no longer see it through the trees, nor hear the variety of noises that filled its wooden walls. He wasn't near Flynn, but that didn't provide as much relief as he had expected. That fiery hot emotion still burned just under his skin and he couldn't stop himself from letting a little bit of it out.

His fist hit a tree so hard that it left a hole, and dozens of splinters filled his now bleeding knuckles. His energy fizzled out and he flopped down on a fallen tree.

The last thing he needed right now was Flynn looking down on him. He wasn't exactly proud of the things that he had done in order to keep himself from going crazy.

"You didn't have to say it like that, Flynn. You didn't have to remind me how dirty I am. It's not like I've forgotten or anything." He ran his hands through his hair. He wasn't sure why he was shaking, but he knew that he didn't like it. Those words still stung.

Judith had been completely right about him. He had always felt unworthy of Flynn and had used others to satisfied his desires for his best friend. If he couldn't have Flynn, he would have others to, as he said, scratch the itch. And he had always convinced himself that he would never be with Flynn. Even that night when he went to the bar in Dahngrest after his argument with Flynn, he was looking for someone to fill the emptiness in his bed. As he looked back on it now, he realized that every person that he had been with had been blond haired and blue eyed, although each of them had been different, and none of them had been Flynn. Adrien Frings had been no different. They had met in a bar late one evening when Yuri had had a few drinks. It was the next morning before Yuri noticed the blue and green uniform that Flynn's brigade had worn hanging on the back of the inn door. He knew at that moment that his habits were going to get him into trouble.

Worse, they had been brought before and judged by the one person who he never wanted to look at him disgust.


	47. Chapter 47 - Worth

Author's Notes: Once again, things will get worse before they get better.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 47 - Worth

As soon as Yuri walked out that door, Flynn realized his mistake. He had said the wrong thing. He hadn't been careful enough choosing his words in a moment of anger and had offended Yuri so badly that he hadn't resorted to hitting or further yelling. He had only made him that mad a few times before.

He slumped down in his desk chair, instantly regretting what had just happened. The conversation had not gone at all like he would have preferred. He wanted to go after Yuri, but he felt stuck. He also knew that going now would be a mistake. Yuri needed time to cool down before talking again, and Flynn needed time to get himself together. He was mad too, but he still didn't have a right to say the things he had. He had implied things about Yuri that he hadn't intended. He did still find it hard to swallow that Yuri had slept with someone in his own brigade, much less the rowdy party boy Adrien Frings.

He rubbed his forehead. The situation had degraded so quickly.

There came a knock on his door. He hoped that it was Yuri, but knew that was unlikely. He was not prone to knocking, and in his current state, probably would have kicked the door in. Flynn wasn't really ready to talk to anyone, but he had a mission here. He straightened himself up. "Come in."

Aslan Frings entered the room, carrying the same metal cases that were used to hold documents. He looked concerned. "Sir, I've come to speak with you in further detail on our findings."

"Yes, of course." He motioned for Aslan to sit in one of the seats on the opposite side of his desk.

"Has my brother done something to offend you?"

Flynn was a little surprised by the sudden change of subject.

"If he has, Sir, I apologize on his behalf. He doesn't often think of the consequences of his actions and if he has done something to upset you, please tell me so I can correct the behavior as quickly as possible."

"No, Captain. I'm just... having a few personal problems. It is nothing to be concerned with at this time."

"If you insist, Sir." Aslan opened the metal case and produced a sizable stack of reports. "Of all the things we have found in the underground laboratory, the most interesting appears to be a medical room with surgery equipment. We are not yet sure what kind of operations may have been preformed here, but they could not have been anything good. If you like, I will gladly escort you and your companions there to show you first hand."

"I assume that the area is secured. It's getting late now, so let's go first thing in the morning." He didn't want to complain about the pain that was settling in behind his eyes. "Thank you for your hard work, Captain. Please get some rest this evening. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

Aslan stood and saluted, and then left.

He was left alone again and the quiet of his room hung heavy over him. He felt that distance between himself and Yuri growing once more. Even though they were so close now, and had been so close lately, he had done something stupid again to ruin that and pushed them apart.

Yuri only barely noticed the sky growing dark. It would be night soon, and probably not safe in the woods, but he didn't really care. He had brought the Second Star with him and he was strong enough once more to fight any monsters that he would have encountered. Even still, he stood and headed back to the encampment. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he was ready to just go to bed. The anger had once more drained out of him and he felt empty and cold.

He headed back to the building that they had been given to use. The others were there enjoying dinner, and there was a plate waiting for him. Whatever they had made smelled good and at the same time sickened him. His stomach lurched, and he kept walking past them. He couldn't even look them in the eye. He wasn't worthy of that.

"Oh, Yuri! Dinner's ready. We made -"

He cut Estelle off, although he did not sound angry. "Sorry. I'm not hungry. I'm going to bed."

"Yuri..."

"Just let him be, Estelle." Judith's voice was understanding and that only made things worse. He wished that she could have managed to be angry with him, but she was always so calm.

He let the door of the bedroom that he, Raven, and Karol shared swing gently closed behind him, not having enough energy to slam it. He threw himself onto the lower of the two bunk beds and rolled to face the wall. The bed frame creaked beneath his weight, and popped a bit as he tried to settle in.

The bed wasn't much different than his bed in Zaphias or the one in Dahngrest, but it felt so cramped and uncomfortable and every little noise that it made bothered him. He listened to the others outside his room, talking quietly and shuffling about cleaning up the dinner mess.

He groaned, covering his ears with his hands. His insides hurt from hunger and the cold and his guilt. He convinced himself that this wasn't how he had felt after he returned a failure from Ceazontania, after breaking the promise that he and Flynn had made as children. This wasn't like the nights he lain awake, thinking about how much he missed Flynn and how painful those feelings were and how unworthy he was of love and affection. This was a mistake. He should have never given in. He should have held out forever like he had originally intended. He should have never admitted to himself or anyone else that he had any sort of romantic feelings for Flynn. At least that misery had been bearable.

Yuri wasn't sure how long he lay there, but eventually he couldn't handle that tiny bed anymore. His lungs burned once more for the cold night air that wasn't so suffocating. He wanted to leave, but not in view of the others who would question him. He crawled out the window instead, shutting it quietly behind him. They would find him missing eventually and probably start worrying, but he would be back as always.

The cold air was less of a relief than he hoped. Even still, he trudged through the snow and made his way to just outside the city wall. The knights didn't bother him as he went along. They remained on the inside of the wall, keeping watch on the entrance.

He leaned against the wall, pulling his coat around him to try and keep the chill off, but it was already as deep as his bones and it wasn't just because it was cold. He pushed a bit of snow around with his boot, making small patterns to try and keep his mind busy. He couldn't stop thinking and he hated it. He looked up. Even the stars were looking down on him coldly.

"I thought I'd find you here." The voice of the one person who he _really_ didn't want to see. "We need to talk."

He couldn't answer. His lips felt sealed once more and his words were still lost. He couldn't even look at him. He knew that Flynn was staring at him, eyes full of a look that he had never seen before.

"Yuri, about what happened earlier-"

"This isn't working."

"What?"

"You've never looked at me like that. Now you know just how dirty I am. We should end this." He was shaking again, but he wouldn't let Flynn see it.

Those blue eyes widened for a second and then narrowed. He was angry again. He loved Flynn, but they really brought out the worst in each other.

"Are you trying to get rid of our feelings just like that?" He reached out to try and take a hold of Yuri.

Yuri stepped back. "Don't touch me. I'm nothing but a filthy whore, remember?" Did he not think that those words might have actually hurt him, that he might not have been mad just about the questioning? Of course, he couldn't have known how Yuri had never been proud of those things, only that he was apparently easy to bed if he had had so many partners. But that didn't matter. He didn't know that Yuri had held out so long because he felt so unworthy of heroic and noble and perfect Flynn, who he could never be like, who he could only support and love from a distance and be content to never be with. He had felt that way for such a long time, and even still he had given in to emotions that were now turning on him to try and consume him with guilt and worthlessness.

"T-That's not what I said!"

"It's what you meant!" Flynn didn't understand the things that he had done to try and keep himself from giving into his feelings for years. He had indeed led a lifestyle that was not pleasant to most. He slept around, but only when it felt like he couldn't hold back any more. He lived a disgusting, promiscuous life when he felt it was necessary.

Flynn stiffened, looking panicked. The truth was sharp and painful as it bit him. Maybe he hadn't completely meant that, but that was certainly how it had came out. "Yuri, I..."

"I don't want to talk about this."

"You need to understand -"

"No. I'm done, Flynn." He turned to head back into town and finally noticed that Estelle was there. He swore internally. One more person he was going to have to try to keep away. How much had she heard?

Yuri wanted to run. He had never wanted to run so badly in his whole life. Fleeing was not at all his style, but right now he was up against two people who would confront him with weapons that he couldn't deflect or fight off with a sword. These weapons could pierce armor, rend shields, break swords, and tear through his body like nothing else. Emotions were the only weapons that he couldn't defend himself again and both of these people knew just how to get to him, with one emotion or another.

"Yuri? Flynn?" The look on her face was horrified. She must have heard most of it.

"Lady Estellise..." He couldn't look at her.

Yuri moved past the two of them, and past the hand of Flynn's that tried to catch him. He tried not to listen in to Estelle scolding Flynn for the things that he had said and for hurting Yuri's feelings and for them fighting, and tried to ignore her as her footsteps moved in quickly behind his own. He tried not to shudder as she wrapped her arms around him from behind in a hug that made him want to crumble and stopped him in his tracks.

"Yuri..."

Her defense of him didn't make him want to talk about it anymore than he had. He would be fine if he just bottled these things up and kept moving like he always had. No matter how much things hurt, if he kept moving, he could bear any burden, no matter how heavy or how dark.

"Why would Flynn say those things about you?"

"Because they're true." He tried to not sound bitter about it, but he failed.

"Don't say that, Yuri." She buried her face in his back. "If you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

That didn't make the idea of talking any easier. He didn't want to open up. Opening up to people had only brought him more pain and anguish and more trouble. If he hadn't opened up to Flynn, this wouldn't have happened. He could have continued living the way he'd had to in order to survive. Opening up only made his life worse.

"Let's go back to the cottage and talk. It'll make you feel better." She may have honestly thought that, but talking things through was not going to help this time.

When they arrived back at the cottage, the others were sleeping. He was fine with that though. The less people he had to talk to about this, the better it would be. She fixed him a cup of tea, even though he wasn't really interested, and gave him an apple gel to help numb to pain in his hand. She set about carefully picking out the splinters that had been painfully lodged there for a few hours now. After she got them out, she would be able to use her healing artes to close the wounds.

"You know, when I first met Flynn, all he did was talk about you." She was trying to make him feel better. This wasn't the first time he had heard this story. Ioder had also said that at one point in time. "He told me all these stories about how great you were and how much he respected and trusted you."

"I don't see what kind of good things he'd have to say."

"He told me that he trusted you more than anyone and how you were brave and strong and stubborn and would never hesitate to help a person in need."

He was silent. His thoughts spat acidic words though.

"I know that he loves you and I just want the two of you to try and work this out. I'm not sure what happened, but I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."

Basically calling Yuri a whore was not a misunderstanding.

Yuri took a sip of his still too hot tea and let it burn down his mouth and throat. That pain alleviated the heaviness and hollowness that he felt and allowed a little of that anger and sorrow to come back to the surface. Maybe not the wisest choice, but he would rather be angry than feel empty. He was holding back even still. He hadn't cried when he woke up with his blastia heart or after any of those horrible dreams and he sure as hell wasn't going to cry over something as stupid as this. If Flynn really felt that way, then fine. Yuri knew that the notion of him being happy was too far fetched to have ever worked or to have ever lasted. He was as much of an idiot as Flynn was.

"Yuri, I know that you're upset with him right now, but tomorrow, please try to talk things out with him."

"I will." He was lying. He didn't intend to talk to Flynn again for a while. He would avoid this as long as possible and then Flynn would see that all this was a mistake and they should just give up their stupid longings for each other and end this relationship that was never going to work.

After a little while and with Estelle's urging, he drug himself to bed and crept into the cold bed sheets that awaited him. There would be no rest for him.

* * *

He tossed and turned in his sheets for a long time.

Flynn was torn. Was Yuri just looking for a convenient way out of their relationship, or had he been genuinely hurt by what Flynn had said? He seemed very sullen, almost as much as the first week he had his blastia heart. His charcoal eyes wouldn't even look at Flynn. They had remained fixed on the ground. He could have been avoiding the truth.

He hadn't intended for his words to come out the way they had. He had been angry when he said those things, but the fact of the matter was that he just wanted the truth. He had reacted badly to idea that Yuri had been with another person, or apparently other people. He lost his temper. He hadn't given Yuri a proper chance to explain himself and they had only ended up shouting at each other. Yuri had been mad enough to leave in silence twice. It was rare that Yuri didn't have a fight in him, and if he wasn't willing to throw a punch when angry, something was terribly wrong. Estelle had overheard and, probably rightly, defended Yuri.

"Flynn, how could you say such hurtful things?"

Yuri hadn't looked like he would cry. He never looked that way, no matter how bad he felt. He was good at hiding his emotions and pretending not to feel at all. Wounds could still cut deep in a person who pretended to be so emotionally strong and distant. But Estelle had tears enough for both of them. She had been emboldened by her experiences out in the world with Yuri and was not afraid to let her true feelings be known.

He tried to explain that it was just a misunderstanding and that if Yuri would only listen for just a moment he could clear things up, but she stopped him.

"I can't stand it when you two fight. You should be more careful to not hurt the feelings of those you care about." She sounded like a mother angrily scolding an unruly and hurtful child. "Think about what you've done."

He agitatedly pushed his hair out of his face with both hands. Why was nothing working out the way it was supposed to? Yuri should have been here with him now and they should have been enjoying each other's company in one way or another. They should have been up all night talking about pleasant memories and triumphant battles and guild work and the changes they were making in the world. They should not have been this far apart, physically or emotionally, nursing hurt feelings alone in the dark. They should not have been angry with each other.

Flynn had noticed the layers of large wooden slivers in Yuri's knuckles and had no doubts about how he had gotten them. If he had punched Flynn, maybe things would have been resolved already and this tension would have eased. Hitting him was a sure way to make his feelings known, but if Yuri was mad enough to avoid resorting to violence, things were very serious.

Flynn had been out of line.


	48. Chapter 48 - Weight

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is a bit late. I was away for the weekend, at a convention, and plotting.

* * *

Chapter 48 - Weight

The next day's dawn saw him completely without rest. He had been up all night, letting thoughts mill about in his brain. He hadn't slept at all, but tried to keep that from being too obvious to his men over breakfast in the mess hall. The noise helped wake him a bit and pull him out of his dark thoughts, although the food was much less than stellar. If Yuri and Estelle weren't so upset with him, he may have joined them for breakfast. Right now, he didn't even want to think about what meeting up with them to explore the underground laboratory would mean. He wanted to believe that maybe a night of thinking would have Yuri realizing that it had all been a misunderstanding and that late last night Flynn was trying to apologize and make things right.

Flynn knew that that scenario was highly unlikely. Yuri was probably still upset with him, and with right.

He choked down the gruel that was served and the coffee with it, even thought Aslan had offered to have something else made for him, something more suited to a Commandant's taste. Flynn didn't allow himself this luxury. It was humbling eating the same thing as your own men and reminded Flynn that he had once been in their boots, and while things were different now, there was still much he had to change.

After breakfast, he drafted a letter to Captains LeBlanc and Aurion, asking how the situation was in Zaphias, and one to Ioder asking what was going on with the Council. He left them unfinished in his desk, as he would fill them with details of his own observations of Captain Frings's findings. A little while later, Aslan knocked on his door, prepared to show him their discovery. He sent Sodia to gather Yuri and his friends. He would have gone himself, but it seemed ill advised. It was unlikely that Yuri had blabbed to all of them about their fight, but that didn't mean that they didn't know. Every one of them was observant and would have figured out the situation quickly.

When they arrived, his suspicions were confirmed. Yuri was there, but was obviously wholly uninterested in talking to him. The others remained genial, even Estelle, though her eyes darted worriedly to Yuri every so often.

They walked in relative silence to the burned out ruins of the colony of Vonael, then through the destroyed town to what remained of the Magistrate's manor. There were guards posted all around and they could see that there had been a great deal of excavating down to reveal a huge, ornate door way down a flight of stairs more than twenty feet underground.

"This is what we found when we did a further investigation of the city." Aslan stopped to brief them in front of the door. "We believe that this was a laboratory used by Alexei's Word as a basis for their operations here on Yurzorea. Beyond this, there are many rooms, so please try not to get separated. It's a bit of a maze."

The knights guarding the door opened it with great strain. It was heavy and made completely out of metal. It had been no easy task to make and put up. There were a long series of dark halls and rooms stretched out before them as they entered, lit by a series of lights, the source of which Flynn couldn't recognize. Rita did though.

"These look like blastia powered lights."

"That is what my researchers and I have come to believe as well, even though all other blastia as we know it ceased to work over a year ago during the calamity of the Adephagos when they were converted into spirits. It appears as though much of the equipment here was powered in a similar fashion and used recently in spite of the fact that blastia no longer truly exist," Aslan explained, stopping briefly by another door, this one not as large as the first. "The next several rooms seem to be dedicated mostly to volumes of research that we have slowly and steadily been going through. This room, however, we know was an operating room of some sort."

He opened the door slowly, and it creaked under its own weight.

The room just beyond the door wasn't very large, but the important part was the contents that it held. In the middle of the room, there was a large slab of metal, chains and straps hanging off of it and barely hiding splatters and stains of blood that trailed to a metal grate in the floor, similarly stained. A lamp hung over the table, surrounded in a rounded bowl of metal to reflect the light down. All around the room were empty jars of all sizes, stacks of books, and bloodied medical equipment. It was a disturbing sight to behold.

"What kind of surgeries could have been performed here?"

Rita flipped through one of the books off to the side, and after a moment, held it out to Flynn. "Blastia heart operations."

"That is the unfortunate conclusion I have come to as well." Aslan sighed.

Flynn surveyed the room. This was like something out of a nightmare.

"Has anyone seen Yuri?" Estelle piped in from the back of the crowd.

He had never spun around so fast. Yuri was no longer with the party. Raven was gone too. He was filled with the urge to go find him. Something was wrong.

* * *

He couldn't stay there any longer. The moment he walked into that room, he knew exactly where he was. His stomach churned as the memories of the operation that had made him this way flooded his brain. He made it only as far as the ruined city wall before he lurched, and vomited hot and hard. He remembered that he hadn't eaten in a while and he was grateful for it. Even at Ragou's mansion filled with the bones of innocent people, the air rank with the smell of death and decay, he never felt this ill or heavy. Even when the bodies of Alexei's followers lay in a blood bath in the basement of the Manor of the Wicked, he did not flinch.

Yuri leaned against a tree, trying to catch his breath, trying to calm down. He was shaking harder than any cold had ever caused. He could feel those ice-cold fingers on his burning skin and his legs felt the heaviness of shackles once more. Voices were once more shrieking in his ears and those bright lights above him blinding him. He shuddered hard, trying to break out of those thoughts and keep moving. He had to get as far away from that place as possible. He could let the others handle what he couldn't.

"What are you doing all the way out here?"

He looked over his shoulder to see Adrien Frings having followed him out into the forest. "Taking a walk." He didn't want to be bothered. He wanted to get back to the encampment and be alone for a little while.

"How about we go catch up with a couple of drinks?"

Yuri knew exactly what he was suggesting, and it wasn't just drinks. Adrien was not as smooth as he imagined himself to be. "No thanks. I'm not interested."

"Why so cold all of a sudden?" He drew closer, his hand sliding easily into the small of Yuri's back.

"I said no." He started to pull away when the blond man pinned him to a nearby tree, pressing their bodies uncomfortably close together.

Adrien Frings's lips were hot and his tongue rough as he tried to invade Yuri's mouth. The assault ended quickly when Yuri kneed him forcefully in the groin, sending him flat on his back, groaning in the snow covered forest floor.

"I swear if you ever touch me again, it won't matter who your brother is or how much Flynn trusts you, you won't survive. When I say I'm not interested, I'm not being coy." He wiped his mouth in agitation, staring him down, prepared to hit him again if necessary. Some people didn't understand that no meant no the first time.

"Oh, I get it now." Adrien sat up a little to look at him with a wicked smile that did not betray the pain he was surely feeling. "You're all hot and bothered for the Commandant."

The surprise that crossed Yuri's face gave him away.

He started laughing. "That's hilarious! A filthy, slutty little street rat thinks he's good enough for the Commandant! You're not even fit enough to lick his boots!"

Yuri was on his knees, pummeling Adrien's face in a flash. All the rage he felt surged right back up to the surface. The other man put up a fight, trying to kick Yuri off of him and pin him to the ground, returning punch for punch. They tussled for a long moment.

"Guards! Throw Yuri Lowell in the stockades!"

Yuri hadn't noticed or heard Sodia approaching, but did not doubt that the look in her eyes was one of someone aching for revenge. She would tattle to Flynn about this and then there would be a whole heap of trouble. He was certain that her version of events would be construed in a way that would not be at all favorable to him.

Even still, he got in one last punch and surrendered quietly. He stood, both arms raised and didn't resist as they shackled him. He was dragged quickly to the stockade, and thrown in a quiet, dark cell. He was kind of glad to be away from everyone, save the single knight left to guard him. At least he was away from Adrien and from Flynn.

He laid down on the tiny cot and rolled toward the wall of the wooden prison. Maybe he could actually get some sleep.


	49. Chapter 49 - Wrong

Author's Notes: I promise that Yuri will stop being so hard on himself soon.

* * *

Chapter 49 - Wrong

"Sodia, have you seen Yuri?"

"Yes, Sir. He's in the stockade for attacking Adrien Frings."

Flynn sighed. What the hell had happened in the less than fifteen minutes since Yuri had disappeared from the laboratory and Flynn had tried to catch up? "Where is the lieutenant now?"

"Getting medical attention."

"Thank you. I'll go check on him. I'm going to need a written report from you."

"I really didn't see much, Sir. I only caught the tail end of the fight."

"Very well. I'll return to question Yuri in a little bit."

She looked down and away briefly. It must have hurt to arrest the person that she cared about. He had been in those shoes before. "Yes, Sir."

He trudged through the snow to the small medical building. From outside he could hear the younger of the Frings twins making a fuss. He opened the door to find a battered Adrien sitting on an exam table, uniform open, being treated for numerous bruises about his face and chest. One of his eyes and his lips were swollen. Aslan was standing with one of the medical officers, trying to discern what happened, but he immediately saluted as soon as Flynn entered, and the others, save Adrien, saluted quickly after that.

"How are you feeling?"

"Been better." Adrien cringed a little as anesthetic was swabbed over a cut on his neck.

"I'd like to know what happened."

"I saw him as I was passing through the woods. He looked ill so I asked if he was all right and needed an escort back to camp, and then he suddenly attacked me. I'm not sure what happened after he knocked me to the ground, but suddenly Lieutenant Sodia was there and she arrested him."

He wondered why Yuri would just attack someone out of the blue like that, even if it was a former lover and even if he was upset. He had been known to cause trouble for the Knights while in the Lower Quarter. He had regularly thrown tax collecting knights in the river, or thrown rocks, or other such things. But attack for no reason? Yuri had a reason for everything he did and even if Flynn didn't want to admit it, it was usually a good reason.

"Thank you." He turned and walked back up the hill toward his own cottage. The others were waiting there.

"Did you find out where Yuri is?" Karol spoke before Estelle could.

"Yes." He sighed. "He's been arrested and is currently being held in the stockades."

There was a small gasp from the group.

"What for?"

"Apparently, he attacked Lieutenant Adrien Frings. I don't have a lot of details at this time, but I'm going to go talk to him personally and try to figure out what happened."

"Why would Yuri do something like that?"

"I don't know, but I intend to find out. If you'll excuse me."

He never stopped thinking the whole way to the makeshift stockades on the far side of the encampment. Something about Adrien's story didn't sit well with him. Yuri was upset enough to leave the laboratory without saying a word, and Flynn had an idea as to why. Maybe being in that surgical suite triggered something painful for him and he had to get out. That would have meant though that maybe Yuri had some memory about the hours that he was gone the night he received the legacy of Alexei. He didn't want to think about that being a possibility. The idea of the person he loved the most being awake for one of the most horrifying moments of his life wracked him with pain. Had he been able to fight back? Had it done any good? Had he seen his attackers? Were there any clues that he hadn't shared?

If Yuri had been awake... the thought was too much to bear.

The Knights guarding the stockade let him in with no trouble, and there was a guard inside, posted in front of the only cell that took up most of the building.

Yuri was sitting on the cot, a blanket draped over his shoulders, staring at the floor.

"We need to talk." It wasn't just about the incident with Adrien Frings either.

"You should get me out of here before I jump one of your guards." Yuri's voice was heavy with sarcasm, but cold.

The knight was startled by this. "Sir, I really don't want to fight this guy. I've heard about Yuri Lowell and I saw what he did to Lieutenant Frings." Little did the knight know that the kind of 'jump' Yuri was talking about was not related to fighting.

"You're dismissed. I'll handle things here."

The knight saluted, and left quickly.

"Yuri, what's going on?"

"Why bother asking me? I'm sure Frings already told you about how I attacked him."

"What did he do to provoke you?"

The man looked up at him with one eye from beneath his dark curtain of hair, as if he was a little surprised. "As if it matters."

"It matters to me."

"Really?" His tone was growing angrier.

"Yes. I know that you wouldn't just attack a person for nothing."

"He tried to shove his tongue down my throat after I told him that I wasn't interested. A few insults were thrown my way, so I felt an ass kicking was in order."

"What did he say to you?"

"Nothing you don't already think."

"Yuri..."

"Let me see... his exact words were..." He prepared a mocking tone, trying to imitate Adrien's, but it was much more exaggerated and nasally. "' A filthy, slutty little street rat thinks he's good enough for the Commandant! You're not even fit enough to lick his boots!'"

Every muscle in his body tensed. He knew that Yuri wasn't lying and the fact that Yuri thought that _he_ thought something like that as well was upsetting on top of everything else that was already weighing on him. Had Adrien said something like that out of the anger of rejection?

"I've never thought something so horrible about you."

"Really? Your comment the other night sure could have fooled me."

"That... that didn't come out the way I hoped. I didn't mean to imply such things about you. I'm sorry." It was genuine and heartfelt and even Yuri must have seen that through his shroud of sarcasm. "I've never thought so little of you. Nothing I said came out right and then I just started yelling and..."

"Just... stop."

He couldn't stop. These words were spilling out of him like blood. "I'm just so sorry that you thought I ever meant something as horrible as that. At the first little sign of trouble, I doubted you and I was wrong for that. I have no right to judge you for the things that may have happened in the past. If you said it was in the past, I should have believed you."

Yuri sighed, staring at the floor.

"I'm not any better... I-"

"Can we do this somewhere else?"

It took that long for him to realize that maybe a jail cell was not exactly the place for a heart to heart concerning their relationship and the problems involved. "Yes. Let's continue this at my cottage." He moved back out and motioned to one of the guards. "Custody of the prisoner will be relinquished to me."

They didn't question. They unlocked the cell and breathed a sigh of relief as Yuri left the stockades. In a few moments, they were at Flynn's temporary quarters. He was a little relieved that the others seemed to have gone off to tend to other tasks so that they could have a little well needed privacy.

As soon as the door was shut behind them, Flynn wrapped his arms around Yuri, pressing him against it. Yuri didn't resist, but didn't hold him back either.

"I'm sorry, Yuri. I was wrong."

"I've slept with more people than I can count on both hands."

"It doesn't matter."

"No. It does matter, Flynn. I am dirty. I've used people to satisfy my lusts. I can't take back the things that I've done."

"I don't think you're dirty. I just wish that you felt like you could have come to me."

Yuri pushed him away. "I need some time to think."

"But..."

"Leave me alone for a while. I need some space."

He couldn't respond to those words. He only watched slack jawed as Yuri slipped out the door and trekked off away from him.


	50. Chapter 50 - Burdens

Author's Notes: Sorry that updates have been slack again. My been having problems keeping my internet turned on. This is really one of my favorite chapters (y6.6y)

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai

* * *

Chapter 50 - Burdens

He knew that Flynn had been sincere in his apology, but that didn't mean the Yuri was ready to accept it. He wasn't lying when he said that he needed time and space. The dark and quiet of the woods was welcome once more over the strict, heavy feeling that the encampment left on him. He had been released from the stockade into Flynn's custody, but that didn't stop him from walking around as he pleased. If Sodia saw him, she probably would have arrested him again, like wrapping him up as a present for Flynn to deal with once more, if she didn't decide to deal with him personally. Every now and then when he saw her, his kidney hurt, the feel of a thin, double-edged knife sliding into his flesh. That made him shudder. If he stuck to the forest for the time being, he would at least remain mostly unseen and away from everyone.

The ground was cold as he sat down, but he didn't really care. Between a set of tree roots seemed like a decent sitting place, and the tree at least provided a little warmth that it had soaked up from the brief bit of sunlight that morning.

He had said that he needed time to think, but he was tired of thinking. It only made his head hurt and over thinking things never got him very far. He wanted to act, but he wasn't sure what he was going to do, or what he should do. He knew that he wasn't ready to head back to the laboratory that he left in such a hurry earlier, or talk to Flynn more. Both of those things seemed daunting, looming over him.

"What are you doing out here all on your own?"

Judith's appearance from around the side of the tree caused him to nearly jump up. She was always so silent when she moved that he never heard her coming through the snow and the leaves.

"Just thought I'd get some fresh air."

"Away from your cozy little cell?"

"Flynn let me out."

"Ah. I figured Lieutenant Frings started it anyway."

"I really don't want to talk about him." He was itching to beat him up again.

"Up for a fight?"

When was he not? "Does that mean you'll finally spar with me?" He had asked her more than once while he was training, but she had always declined politely. She was an avid fighter who would provide him with a proper challenge.

"Sure. Why not?"

"You're on."

Judith was a tough opponent. While her range was not as impressive as Raven's, her attacks were faster, and, like Yuri, she incorporated non-weapon melee attacks. Their weapons clashed as each one of them bounded between trees, or as Judith seemed to like to do, ricochet off of them in lightning fast charges at him. Her feet were deadly weapons with the high heeled, metal plated boots that she wore and she was not hesitant at all about aiming them at him. She was harder to dodge than most he had fought, and her defense was still high enough to thwart his own attacks. She was the challenge that his body needed now.

After a long battle, she stopped suddenly, blocking his sword one last time. She hardly had a scratch on her. "All right. I'm done." Her smile was almost as bad as Flynn.

"What?"

"That's enough for me."

He looked at her sideways, an eyebrow cocked. She could easily defeat him if she had actually been trying. Every time she fought, she did so at half power and he never understood why. She could probably even kick Flynn's ass and that would have been a hilarious sight to behold.

"Feeling a bit better?" She was completely unfazed by their lengthy fight.

"I am. Thanks, Judy." He did feel better. It probably should have been distressing that fighting was his way of dealing with his emotions, but he tried not to worry about it.

"So." She sat down on stump next to him. "Has Flynn apologized yet?"

He groaned. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Yes..."

"But it's not so easy to forgive him, is it? Even though it's him. I wonder what he could have said or done to make you angry enough to not want to talk to him."

He shrugged. "It's stupid."

"Obviously, it isn't, otherwise you wouldn't be upset about it. But if you don't want to talk about it, I understand." She took a few steps back toward the camp. "Just know that we're here for you."

* * *

He skipped out on dinner. His stomach was too full of guilt to eat anything and he was still digesting the gruel from breakfast. He made a small note to try and improve moral for the troops with better food in the nearby future. Of all the things for him to want right now, Yuri's cooking was one of them.

Flynn filled in the letters that he had left unfinished on his desk earlier that day and marked them for their intended recipients. He would give these to Sodia in the morning to have delivered to Zaphias as soon as possible. He needed to keep LeBlanc, Aurion, and Ioder informed on the situation.

"Hey, Commandant."

He nearly jumped out of his chair, startled by Raven's sudden presence in his now open window. He regained his composure quickly. The former captain did a very good job of keeping him on his toes. "Yes?"

"I thought I'd let you know that I witnessed the exchange between Yuri and Lieutenant Frings that occurred earlier. Figure I could be something of a witness for Yuri."

It wasn't that Flynn hadn't believed Yuri. The dark haired man had no reason to lie about what happened, but if there was another, decently unbiased witness, then the possibility of taking action regarding this behavior was possible.

"I'm sorry to intrude, Sir." Aslan Frings entered. Flynn had been expecting him. "I would like to know what my brother did."

Raven cocked an eyebrow at Flynn. He didn't have the same trust in Frings as Flynn did.

"I'll allow it. Please, tell us what you saw."

"I followed Yuri outta the lab and into the woods. Adrien was there, and invited him to go have a few drinks. Yuri turned the sleaze ball down and then the lieutenant pinned him to a tree and tried to shove his tongue down yer sweetheart's throat. Yuri kneed him and warned him not to touch him again. Frings made a few unnecessary comments and then Yuri hit him. They tussled for a little bit before Sodia showed up and put a stop to things."

Normally calm Aslan was visibly upset at his brother's antics. His jaw was clenched in anger. Flynn had worried a little that maybe the captain wouldn't believe that his brother would do such a thing even though he seemed very well aware that Adrien was less than perfect.

"Captain Frings..."

He stood and bowed. "My brother's behavior is inexcusable. You have my deepest apologies. Whatever punishment you deem fit, I will stand behind it completely."

Even Raven was a little surprised by this.

"He must pay for the things he has done."

"I agree that this is serious. At the very least, this is conduct unbefitting a knight." That wasn't really what Flynn wanted to punish him for, but he was trying to be objective. He was still the Commandant and he had to follow the same laws as everyone else. "I will consider what course of action is appropriate."

Raven and Aslan both excused themselves, and he was left alone once more, juggling in his mind thoughts of Yuri and how best to deal with Adrien Frings.

* * *

He wasn't prepared to be in that room again, but he knew that he had to face it. There would be no healing from that horrifying moment in his life until he did.

For a brief moment, Yuri was calm as he surveyed the room, but the memories washed quickly into his brain, sending burning adrenaline coursing through his arms and legs. He was in that moment again, strapped to the table, struggling to fight back, those cold fingers and tools ripping at his flesh, and that howling sound coming out of his mouth.

This time, his struggles were not in vain. He could move and with sweeps of his arms, he knocked aside the jars strewn around the room that had been filled with liquids and strange things. They crashed to the ground, shattering further as every instrument left in the room joined them on the floor. He was screaming, his voice sounding wholly not his own. Anything that the investigative team had not removed for research became frail fodder for his rage. Even the surgery table which he had once been strapped to provided little resistance to him as he flipped it and sent it skidding across the glass covered floor into the far wall.

He only stopped when everything was in ruins. In spite of his destruction, something felt as though it was missing, as if there should have been something else for him to sate his horrified anger on.

"You were awake during the procedure, weren't you?"

He wasn't as surprised as he should have been with Flynn having snuck up on him. He had been making quite a lot of noise.

"Yuri... why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell _me_?"

"Would you have wanted to know? What good would it have done? _I_ couldn't have done anything; what could _you_ have done?" He didn't even want to know. He'd rather he hadn't been awake at all during the surgery. He had managed to block most of the scene out of his mind until the moment he initially stepped into the room of his own volition. It had not even taken him looking around to realize. His foot crossed the threshold and touched the floor and a shiver ran up his spine, causing every hair on his body to stand on end and his muscles to start seizing with his body's memories of those moments.

"I don't know what I would have been able to do... but something, anything! I can't stand to see you suffering and leaving me helpless to do anything for you."

"It's a burden that I have to bear alone."

"You don't have to bear these things alone, Yuri. I thought that you would have realized that by now. There is no burden that I wouldn't gladly bear with you."

It was always hard to stay mad at Flynn, but he still couldn't forget the things that had been said. Whether they were meant or not, they were still said. He still needed time to sort things out. It wasn't that he didn't want to forgive Flynn.

The blond's hand slid into his. It remained limp; he had to resist tightening his fingers. The warmth of his hand once more drove back the cold numbness that was settling into his limbs after his bout of anger and adrenaline. His heart calmed, and he tried not to think about Flynn and tried to think instead about what he knew was missing from this room.

Much had been removed for research purposes and since he had trashed the place, it was harder to tell. He wanted to curse his impetuousness, but the destruction was a relief to him. After a few moments, he realized that it was useless. He was much too on edge to think about it anymore and his stomach was starting to churn again with the memories racking his brain. He left and Flynn followed. Even as their hands separated he felt that warmth still, lingering in him just as Flynn was lingering behind him quiet and calm.

The forest surrounded them in quiet once more, only the crunch of snow and fallen branches beneath their feet as they walked.

There was a question burning a hole in his brain since Flynn's apology the day before. He didn't doubt the sincerity of those words. He was a little afraid of the answer, but at the same time, he feared the memories of the surgery that were surging hard in his brain even after the destruction that he caused even more. He was nearly desperate to change the subject.

His mouth felt so dry as soon as he decided to ask it, but he asked it anyway, stopping and staring down into the snow. "When did you know?"

"Know what?"

"How you felt about me?"

He couldn't see Flynn's face, but he imagined that it would have been at least a little surprised. Yuri was usually so reserved in talking about their relationship, that in spite of everything hadn't changed that much. When he received no reply, he repeated the question, even though he was sure that the blond was just thinking. "When did you know how you felt about me?"

"The moment I realized was the night that you were propositioned by that nobleman. I mean, I had been feeling something for a while before that, but that was the moment that I knew that I loved you."

Yuri nodded mutely. It wasn't the memory he had expected to hear about, but it satisfied his curiosity nonetheless.

"What about you?" He knew that question was going to be turned on him when he asked it first. That was Flynn's style. Use the enemies' own weapons against them, and when talking with Yuri, words and emotions were weapons, whether or not Flynn realized it.

"Do you remember your first birthday with Grams and I?"

"Yeah. I just turned seven." It had been three years before the death of Flynn's father Finath, and it had been only a few months after they moved in next door to the Lowell house. "You and Granny made me a cake, which was special because of the sugar rationing going on. She had to have saved up for months to get enough to bake a cake and put icing on it." His voice sounded softly nostalgic and warm. It was a pleasant memory for them.

"You asked me when my birthday was. Since I had lived on the street until only a short time before that, I said that I didn't know. I had never had a birthday. You looked so surprised. I guess the idea that someone couldn't have a real birthday had never crossed your mind. But you looked at me and smiled and said 'I'll share my birthday with you then'."

"Yuri..."

He clenched his fists tightly. It was so hard for him to admit this, even though less than a week before he had surrendered finally to his feelings. It was embarrassing. "I've felt this way about _you_ for almost as long as I can remember. That... that was the moment that I knew."

Flynn was stunned. He could hear a small gasp escape his lips and he took one, two steps forward and grabbed Yuri's hand once more. "That... that was fifteen years ago. Were you planning on just suffering quietly with that for the rest of your life?"

"Yes." He had not that long ago been prepared to live and die bearing that secret.

"If you knew that long... why didn't you say something?"

"Because even then, I knew that I wasn't worthy."

"W-What?"

"To this day, I have no idea why Grams took me in. I was a dirty little street rat who never did anything to deserve her love and kindness. I didn't deserve hers and why would I have ever been good enough for yours?"

The blond was quiet. Yuri wasn't sure if he was thinking or shocked once more.

Yuri took a step forward. He was ready to end this conversation, but Flynn pulled him back into his embrace.

"Why would you ever think that way?" It was a question he didn't know how to answer. He had always felt that way.

"I used other people as substitutes for you. If I couldn't be with you, then I could at least pretend for a night. Adrien wasn't any different." Judith had figured it out so easily, but Yuri hadn't realized after everything until she said something and that only made it worse. He could forgive himself easily enough if it had only been desire for a little companionship, but in truth it involved Flynn.

"I wish you could have felt like you could have come to me..."

He pulled away. "Maybe if you had ever sent me a goddamn letter! Maybe if I had known that I wasn't the only one then maybe I could have!" He wasn't sure why he was so angry suddenly, but he whipped around to face the sullen Commandant.

The look on his face was one of guilt. He knew that if he had sent the numerous letters he had written, maybe things would have turned out differently, but Yuri was honestly just placing the blame on him a little. Even if Flynn had sent those letters, even if he had known how his oldest and dearest friend felt about him, the likelihood that he would have acted favorably on that was incredibly slim. In fact, he probably would have been more proactive in avoiding his friend and his feelings. He probably would have occupied his time more in Dahngrest than in Zaphias, and filled his empty bed more nights with blond strangers to try and dull the ache in his chest. It would have only been worse if he had known because then he would surely be avoiding every touch and glance. He would have purposefully put distance between them to try and quell these things.

"Yuri... I..." His bit his lip, staring down. Those blue eyes welled. He knew now that when he had unintentionally insinuated certain things about Yuri, it was like he had reopened that painful feeling of worthlessness.

He turned away, his anger subsiding. Yuri couldn't bear to see those eyes like that. "Just... let's not talk about this anymore." He still needed to put some distance between them and some time away from him in order to forgive Flynn and forgive himself.

"I love you."

He couldn't respond the way Flynn wanted. He knew exactly what Flynn wanted to hear, and had always replied with a snarky sort of 'I know', but this time, he couldn't even muster that. He was a little glad when a hurried set of footsteps approached them and he looked up.

It was Karol, looking grave about a matter other than whatever he was walking into at that moment. "Yuri!"

"What's up, Boss?"

"Judith just heard from Ba'ul that there's been a weird disturbance in the aer at the krene in Keiv Moc!"

If the disturbance was big enough for the whale shaped Entelexia to pick up on and bother alerting them about, it must have been serious. Since the blastia were now gone, the aer was supposed to be under control. He didn't like the possibilities that this could go to if it turned out that it wasn't some freak out on the krene's part. The few times he had seen an aer krene overflow had not been pretty, but it had been blastia related.

"What's the plan?"

"Brave Vesperia's gonna go check it out. Rita wants to figure out what's going on. You coming?"

"Of course." Getting away from Flynn and this burnt out village full of pain was just what he needed. He needed time to clear his head, which wasn't happening here when Flynn wanted to constantly try to talk to him about it.

"Let's get packed up. Ba'ul will be here soon."

He and Karol walked forward, leaving Flynn alone in the forest, and he didn't look back.


	51. Chapter 51 - Detour

Author's Notes: This was originally two smaller chapters, but Suspicious Popsicle, who does all of my beta reading, and I agreed that they worked better as one, so that takes our official chapter count back down to 71.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 51 - Detour

Luckily, he didn't even really need to pack. Not that he ever packed properly. He had better things to waste his energy on.

"Yuri, someone's here to see you," Judith called from the doorway.

He sighed, keeping his back to it, even as armored footsteps approached. "Damn it, Flynn. I told you I didn't want to talk about this anymore."

"I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Lowell."

That was not Flynn and he suddenly felt like an ass. Being called 'mister' was just plain weird too. So much so that it sent a shiver up his spine and forced him to turn around.

Clad in his black and gold captain's uniform was Aslan Frings. For being twins with nearly the same face, the two Frings brothers could not have been more different. Their bearings were completely different. Aslan carried himself in a calm and stalwart nature.

"Oh. Captain Frings." He was a little relieved. "What's up?"

"I came to offer you an apology."

Yuri quirked an eyebrow at him.

Aslan cleared his throat. "I have heard what my brother did to you and I wish to apologize on behalf of the Frings family. I love my brother, but he is an idiot of the highest caliber. What he has done is inexcusable and I will gladly pay recompense for it."

He shoved a rolled up shirt in his bag, turning away to continue his work. "I hope you're not just saying that because of my friendship with Flynn." Even if Adrien had been out of line, a man who had been born a noble owed nothing to someone of the Lower Quarter.

"I understand your concern, but no. I know that it is the proper things to do. My brother has wronged you and I will not allow the situation to stand as it does. What can I do to make up for his mistakes?"

Yuri smirked. "Don't go bearing your brother's burdens forever. All I ask is that you be someone Flynn can trust with his life and the lives of others."

"I will do my best for the Commandant and I will try harder to keep my brother in line."

He nodded. "That's enough for me." He hefted the bag onto his back, and turned back. Through the door of his bedroom, he could see Flynn dithering about out in the snow in front of their cabin. He sighed, and moved past Aslan, who said nothing further.

He didn't want to deal with this right now. What he said to Aslan only moments before about not wanting to talk about this still stood. That conversation hadn't changed his mind.

"Is everybody ready to go?" Karol asked from the dining room.

"Sure thing, boss." He moved toward the door, but avoided Flynn's gaze.

Everyone else was already assembled there. They filed out of the small building that housed them, Aslan stepping out just behind them.

"Please be careful, everyone."

"Thank you, Flynn." Judith thankfully answered for him.

The silence that filled the next few seconds was heavy and awkward. As Yuri turned away, Flynn caught one of his hands and pulled him a little close. He hesitated a moment, and rather than the kiss that Yuri was expecting, Flynn kissed his hand instead. He didn't fight back. It wasn't worth his effort, even if it was in view of the captain and Sodia and a few other of the Royal Guard. The blond pressed a letter into his hand as he pulled away.

Yuri's grip tightened on it and he shoved it into his open shirt as he walked off toward the small field where they would meet Ba'ul. Tension filled his whole body, but he shook it off as he moved. He didn't have time to waste. He had something he needed to do, and Flynn had never been able to stop him before and sure wouldn't be able to stop him now. He didn't even want to read whatever he had given him. He wanted to burn this letter and all the others and pretend that he had never known the feelings that passed between them.

* * *

The flight to Keiv Moc was thankfully brief, and he felt that he could breathe a sigh of relief as soon as the Imperial camp was out of sight. The letter he had received had been moved to his pack. He would read it when this was over and he had a few battles in order to clear his head some more.

The Entelexia above them let out a warble as they approached the cliffs of northern Tolbyccia.

"Ba'ul is going to let us off here. He apologizes."

"What's wrong, Judith?" Estelle asked, bearing a look of grave concern.

"He's not feeling well all of a sudden. It might be because of the aer disturbance," Judith explained. "We can walk to Keiv Moc easily from here though."

"Well, I hope he gets to feeling better soon." He wasn't just saying that for his own convenience. Ba'ul had done a lot for them over the past year. Yuri didn't like the fact that the disturbance was enough to both alert Ba'ul and make him sick. Since the blastia were all gone, the aer krenes should have all been under control, regulated with the rhythm of Terca Lumireis as they had been in the days before human tampering.

"He appreciates your kindness."

He left them just outside the forest, and flew off toward Desier. Yuri presumed that he returned to Mt. Temza to rest when he wasn't flying them around, to the place that he and Judith had once called home.

They entered the forest. At first glance, it didn't seem any different than normal. It was still full of what once seemed unnatural overgrowth and huge bug monsters. Yuri stretched and drew his sword. These fights were easy for him, but a little battle fodder didn't bother him. He didn't have to think too hard when he fought these creatures. It was so long ago that they had ever been a challenge.

They plowed on through the overgrown forest, felling monster after monster until they reached the aer krene. There was definitely something wrong.

The aer was so thick that it was deep red. He had seen this before, even before his journey with his friends. Ceazontania's aer krene had once been this overfollowing, and it had not been good. The party kept its distance while Rita tried to discern the problem, Estelle ever at her side.

"The krene really shouldn't be doing this, since there really isn't any blastia to be causing this. Except the blastia hearts, but they don't even run on aer." She flipped through her book that sat open on her crossed legs.

"What could it be then?"

"It's hard to say. Something definitely overworked the krene to cause this though."

Yuri had been sitting calmly, but noticed Repede acting a little strangely. He was sniffing the ground, pacing across the glade, getting as close to the aer krene as was safe for anything. He was growling perpetually, a long line of hair raised down the length of his back.

"What's up with the pooch?" Raven noticed it as well.

Repede raised his head to Raven and bared his teeth. It wasn't threatening. Yuri had seen him do that a few times before when he was warning them. Something was wrong.

"What's wrong, Repede?"

He barked and growled and wuffed a few times before continuing his tracking. His tail flicked agitatedly a few times before he stopped suddenly before the tree line, his growling turned to full on snarling.

Crashing through the trees came a huge Gigalarva, its tail lashing through the air. Something about this one was different than the ones they had faced before. Its coloring had taken on a reddish hue and he wondered briefly if it was aersick, which he had seen in monsters when Alexei had Zaphias overrun with Estelle's powers.

The others were already on their feet and ready for it as it charged them. The spiked tail came down heavily to try and hit them, but they managed to avoid it. Yuri and Karol hacked away relentlessly at it's legs, while Judith kept her attacks focused on its face. Raven fired arrow after arrow into the creature's eyes, blinding it and Rita and Estelle provided back up. It was stronger than the ones they had fought before and even blinded, lashed out against them violently, knocking over trees and boulders with its massive tail as it tried to hit them.

Yuri jammed his sword's tip into one of the soft, exposed leg joints, and with a quick punch, managed to knock the limb right off. Karol noticed that, and together they proceeded to repeat the process with its other legs.

The Gigalarva staggered on its last two legs, still fighting for its life. Judith lodged her spear through its hard shell and into its brain. It twitched and whipped its tail wildly for a few moments before its movements slowed and finally stopped. It collapsed, broken and defeated on the ground.

"That Gigalarva was weirdly violent. I mean, we were attacked last time we got here, but they don't normally come after people like that." Karol poked around the body for a moment.

"I wonder if this is what was causing the problem," Judith said, producing a large red orb, nearly the size of her palm.

Yuri and Raven both knew instantly what it was. It was cracked, but still glowed softly for a moment before it dimmed permanently.

"What's a monster doing with a blastia heart?" He didn't really want to know the answer to that question. He already had a guess, and he didn't like it. That could have easily caused the monster to behave strangely. Madness wouldn't have been too far down that road either.

"Wouldn't be too much of a stretch to think that Alexei's Word would be testing these things out on monsters too. If people can handle it, why not critters?"

"That... that's horrible..." Estelle was saddened. Even if it was a monster, she hated to see anything suffering. She watched as the blastia heart was handed to Rita, who examined it carefully. "Any ideas, Rita?"

"It's different than the others I've seen." She rolled it around in her hands, eying every inch of it, running fingers along the cracks. "The formula it uses looks essentially the same as all the others, but I'll need some more time to analyze it. Maybe the books that Captain Frings let me borrow will hold a clue."

"What are we going to do about the aer krene?" If Yuri only had Dein Nomos, then he could calm it, but that was still in Duke's possession and he was probably hundreds of miles away.

"I wonder..." As she moved in to examine the krene a little further, the red glow that filled the glade receded, and its normal green light returned. Even she was surprised. "That shouldn't be happening..."

"I've never seen an aer krene calm itself. It's highly unusual." Judith looked skyward. Yuri knew that she was communicating with Ba'ul when her crimson eyes stared out into the distant nothingness. "I wonder if maybe the monster could have had something to do with that."

"Seems unlikely, but who knows." The genius mage shrugged.

"Either way, it's under control and we should move on."

"Are we needin' to head back to the colony?"

"Actually, I'd rather we make a quick detour to Dahngrest." He was wondering if Harry had any information for him and if any new rumors were floating around the guild city. "How's Ba'ul feeling?"

"He's feeling a little better, but we should just walk. He needs some time to recover."

Yuri nodded. "We don't want to stress him out. Let's hoof it then and we'll figure out what our next course of action is from there."

Everyone agreed. The distance was only about a day's walk, so they set off for Dahngrest.

* * *

It was already night when they arrived in the guild city, and Yuri was turned away at the door of the Union Headquarters, in spite of his reputation and the Comrade Crest. It was simply too late and Harry was most likely in bed. He thought a little bitterly how nice it must be to be able to sleep, but his frustration was pointless against the Don. Hopefully, he had been able to find out something. Yuri resigned to come see him first thing in the morning. He and Repede padded back to the Brave Vesperia headquarters.

The dog whined at his side worriedly.

"I don't know, Repede."

He listened to the series of wuffs that followed as they continued. Why anyone ever doubted that he could understand Repede was beyond him. No one ever doubted that Judith could talk with Ba'ul.

"So, the smell around the aer krene was similar to what you smelled from the guy who tried to assassinate Flynn?" Damn it. Why did everything always come back to him? "And from Iskar's room in the palace."

Repede barked a little, quick and sharp.

"That is pretty interesting. Did you smell anything interesting in Vonael?"

The warrior dog told him what he knew.

"I wonder if that could explain all the monster activity. If you could smell that, I'm sure that they could too. Like blood and machines..." He pondered on that, wishing a little that he had Repede's keen sense of smell, but at the same time, everything Flynn cooked would have smelled that much worse. Once again, his thoughts turned to the blond stationed in the encampment near Vonael and the letter that had been pressed into his hand that he had yet to read. He sighed, trying to push that back. He would deal with that later. "Got any other information?"

The dog whined again and after a few more strides across the cobblestone road, rubbed up against him in a bit of cat like manner. He had done this before, and itwas a way of showing affection that was rarely afforded to anyone else.

"Thanks, Repede." Yuri's hand found the spot between Repede's shoulder blades and scratched it as they walked.

They arrived back at headquarters where Raven was making dinner. He wanted to retreat up to his room immediately, but he forced himself to eat and go over what Repede told him in spite of several doubting gazes from the party. Judith knew that he was telling the truth.

"What would a smell like that be doing near the aer krene?"

Rita flipped quickly through one of several books she had laid out on the table. "Sounds like they could be related to the blastia heart manufacturing process."

"We suspected Iskar and the other two Councilmen were involved in Alexei's Word, so the idea of them carrying that smell is not too far from a possibility. And if they were performing surgeries in Vonael, that could explain that also, as well as the increase in monsters." Judith paused briefly, looking over Rita's shoulder, her eyes scanning the book quickly. "Flynn's failed assassin also. If he was involved with the group or a bearer of a heart himself."

"Flynn didn't mention him having a blastia heart." Not that Flynn had been in much of a state of mind to relay details at the time after his attack. Even still, he was thorough enough to have had the body of the assassin examined and even if he had mentioned it to no one else, he would have told Yuri.

Raven bumped his way through the kitchen and into the conference room, arms heavily laden with plates.

"What the hell, Old Man? We just had dinner!" Rita swiftly moved her books aside to keep them from getting anything dropped on them.

"Thought ya'd like some dessert." He slapped down several plates of crepes.

"Thank you, Raven!" Estelle was, of course delighted.

If the old man was good at anything, it was helping to lighten the mood. Everything was quiet for a few long moments while everyone ate. That silence allowed all the information to become muddled about in Yuri's mind. His bed was calling to him. It was very late, and the leads that they had were not going anywhere fast.

He stood after finishing his plate of crepes, and trudged up to his bedroom. "I'm turning in. Night."


	52. Chapter 52 - Eternity

Author's Notes: More than any other chapter I've written for this fic, this one embarrasses me the most. I still cannot believe I've done this. I've never even received a love letter. What the hell, Flynn?

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 52 - Eternity

_Dear Yuri,_

_First and foremost, I want to apologize. I've said and done so many foolish things over the years that have threatened to drive us apart, and this last occasion was inexcusable._

"Geez, Flynn. If you wrote me a letter to apologize for every stupid thing you've ever done, it'd be a book." He said that, but he knew that he had done more than his fair share of stupid things to bait Flynn and try and sabotage their relationship because he always knew that it would lead nowhere good.

_I have never honestly believed so little of you. You are the person I respect and love and trust the most. Your place in my heart is one that could be filled by no one else._

"Sap."

_I cannot and do not want to even imagine what my life would have been like without you in it. You are so irreparably tangled up in everything I do, in everything that I am. _

"Oh gods, Flynn. Are you serious?"

_But every time we are together, my words become lost and I wish that they could be even just a fraction as eloquent as my letters seem to be. My mouth is unable to truly express how I feel, but in my letters, it comes out so perfect and clear that it is infuriating. Nothing comes out right when I speak and I only end up making you angry or loosening the ties of our friendship that I am trying so hard to keep a hold of._

He sighed. Even Flynn's letters were exasperating.

_My relationship with you is the most important thing to me. It is the one thing that has kept me together for all these years, in spite of anything I may have said to the contrary. I don't know if you've felt it too, but I feel like this was written in the stars, that we are fated, that even before this life, we were meant to be. We may have even been so in a previous life because I know that my soul surely longed for something for the longest time, over the course of many lives, searching in vain._

It wasn't that Yuri didn't believe in reincarnation. It was a common belief, but the notion that their souls could have reached out and searched for each other over the course of endless time seemed so ridiculously romantic that it made his stomach feel heavy and ill.

_I felt this for so long, but it was one night in particular that made me realize it. The night you came home after that nobleman asked you to sell him your body for a night. It hit me like a falling star hits the earth, and I realized that the one thing my soul longed for for all eternity was right there beside me._

"What?"

_I knew at that moment that it was you and no other that I have been searching my short lifetime for, and the endless number of others across the endless course of time for._

He seriously used nearly that same wording? That just made it worse. But the heaviness in his stomach eased a bit as he continued reading. This was too romantic for him, too sappy for him to express and appreciate, but he was still enthralled. He couldn't have turned away from this outpouring of Flynn's stupidly romantic heart even if he wanted to. It was as if Flynn had opened his heart and let it bleed across the page.

_What felt like I had been searching for an eternity for, I found that moment in you, as if we were drawn together across a thousand lives and eons and I finally found you. But I didn't know then if you could feel the same, if you had the same longing. That night I realized, when you walked out the door, you might not come back. You could have been hurt, or alone or in trouble and all I could think to do was argue with you, to try and convince you that doing those things to take care of us was wrong. I didn't even have the guts to go out and look for you. The truth was that I felt so helpless. I couldn't stop you from sacrificing yourself for me and nothing I could have done in return would repay such an act._

_And though I felt my longing was so desperate, so wrapped up in eternity, I know now that yours was worse. The pain I felt was nothing compared to what you endured for fifteen years, because you didn't see yourself as worthy of love and kindness, yet you still fought so hard to care for us, for me._

_I blame myself. If I hadn't hesitated so long in letting my feelings be known, if I had only sent you those letters, maybe you would have felt like you could have come to me. I was so afraid of what you would think of what you read there and I was unable to overcome that fear. Maybe you would have known that I felt the same way about you and maybe we wouldn't have drifted apart as we did before now. I have no right to judge you for these things. I tried to have a relationship also so that I could forget about my feelings for you._

_For a short time, I was in a relationship with Amber, the girl who runs the grocer shop in the Public Quarter. I thought that I really did love her, but I know that I was just using her as a substitute for you. I even considered marrying her, but she knew that when I was with her, I was thinking about you._

_I was always telling others how great you are, and how much I admired you, but I feel like I never told you, the one person who really matters, the one person I really should have been telling all along._

_Yuri, you're the strongest person I know. Your bravery in the face of adversity is astounding. You're by far the most stubborn person I've ever met _(This was a compliment)_. You're the only person that I can trust implicitly. There were times I doubted you, and I was always wrong. There were also times I relied on you because I knew that I had no need to have ever doubted you. You saved the world. Even if you only admit to holding the sword that __defeated the Adephagos and going along with Rita Mordio's plan, you were the driving force. Had it not been for your strength and determination, Lady Estellise, and everyone else, the whole world, would not be where it is now. After everything that happened to you as a child and further on in life, you fought to give this world a second chance. You didn't let your past stop you. You could have given up and stopped caring. You could have let bitterness devour you and the Adephagos devour the world, but you helped make salvation possible._

_Whether or not you believe it, the people who call you a friend, you gave them strength. To move on, to keep going, and you gave me that strength too. You believed in them and believed in me._

_And I never managed to thank you. You took care of me when I was sick, fed us when we were starving, put up with me when I was foul tempered, and held me when I was sad, even though the sadness surely hung just as heavy or heavier in your own heart. I owe you my life. You hold my heart as no one else ever has, and as no one else ever will. Of that much, I am certain. I would be nothing without you. I'd like to think that the moment we shared that apple as children, our destinies were irreparably entwined, but I know that it was long before that, perhaps as long ago as when time itself began. I will never in my existence love another person the way that I love you._

_The paths that we've chosen have separated us before and they'll separate us again, but I'm certain that no matter what, they'll bring us back together again too, whether in this life or in the next._

_Please remember that I love you no matter what the past has brought and no matter what the future has yet to bring._

_ Love,_

_ Flynn_

"That was the sappiest letter I've ever read..." He sighed; it was a bit ragged. Flynn was such a hopeless romantic. He felt the barest bit of water drip down his face, and he hurriedly wiped it away. He wasn't crying. That sickeningly sappy and overly romantic letter hadn't nearly brought him to tears.

He wanted to still be angry. Flynn had been so sincere in his apology and it had always been hard to stay mad at him for long. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to tease the hell out of him about this letter next time he saw him.

"Are you crying?"

He jolted out of the corner where he had nested to find Judith standing over him, smiling. "What? No. Why the hell would I be?"

"That wouldn't be another massively romantic love letter from Flynn would it?"

He tensed, folding it. She was the only person who had even viewed the others that Flynn had written him, which was an embarrassment in and of itself. His face grew a little hot and he avoided her crimson gaze. "Just... don't look at me."

She giggled. "Just thought I'd let you know we're ready to leave when you are."


	53. Chapter 53 - Hunt

Author's Notes: _Guess who._

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 53 - Hunt

Hunting was one of his favorite things to do, but lately it had become so easy that it was _almost_ boring. It was really the same process over and over again: lie in wait, ready to strike, and when the proper moment came and the prey walked unknowingly into the trap, it was finished easily with a single blow.

The things he had been hunting lately were unsatisfactory quarry to his skill level and desire. He needed a challenge and there was only one prey truly worthy enough to provide him with that challenge.

Even with the lack of sport the prey in these woods gave him, he still waited, silent and steady until a rustling from the brush alerted him. He didn't move, but every muscle and each of his limbs was tensed, ready to strike.

A wolf, unaware of the danger that it was in, treaded along an overgrown footpath, head low, searching for prey for his own. This would do.

In a single strike, swift and soundless, he moved from between the bushes and pierced the creature through its barrel chest. The beast's muscles seized against him in terror, and he could feel each bone he scraped against as he pulled back in almost an instant. Blood splattered against him and across the dark ground. He reveled briefly at the warmth still beating in his hand before quickly plugging the wound in the monster's chest. It staggered and whimpered as he loomed over its injured form, its heart in his hand.

"I'm not going to kill you, but you'll wish I had. What I have planned for you is much more fun." He brought the still hot organ to his lips, stroking it with his tongue. "You won't be needing this anymore." Effortlessly, he swallowed it, letting it wriggle a little down his throat. It still wasn't what he wanted. It couldn't satisfy his hunger.

He reached down and patted the creature's head in a manner most discomforting. It growled at him, still trying to resist him, but it was cut short by a yelp as he twisted the plug he had placed inside of it. "What should I call a growling, defiant thing like you...?" He mused briefly, staring down into the creature's dark eyes. "Yes... That's it. You can be Yuri. How's that sound?"

The wolf tried to move, to pull back from beneath his shadow, to escape the strong grasp he maintained on it. He tensed one of his limbs and it stood at attention on two feet before him, fear rampant in its eyes.

"There is no escape, Yuri Lowell! Grovel at my feet, surrender to me, admit your defeat, and beg for my mercy as I tear the hearts out of the ones that you hold the dearest!" He wasn't talking to the monster.

It whimpered and whined, but did not fight back further. It was too weak. He liked his new form.

Unlike his original body, it wasn't hampered by petty boundaries. This form knew no limitations. He liked it. It gave him range and unheard of strength and best of all, control. Even with these newfound glories, he still longed for his beloved prey. He had tasted a few sweet bites of his quarry, but now he longed for more. The hearts he had consumed lately were nothing compared to that one. Hard, well-trained muscles, thick and taunt sinew, blood hot and sweet. Every inch of flesh, every delectable, silvery scar, every white bone, he wanted it all. And he would have it all. Even if he had to destroy everything to get it.

He cared not for Terca Lumireis or its inhabitants. Now people and monsters were mere puppets before his might. If he had to destroy anything and everything in his path to get what and who he wanted, then so be it.

He slid easily past the wolf, who followed him like others had before. It had no choice. It was bound to him now. As they moved, the woods were more silent than ever. Any creature that he had not caught now cowered or fled before his presence. That only increased his sense of power. The mansion loomed in the darkness, but it was like home to him. He had lived here before he had gained his new form, but the scent of blood that filled these walls made this place even more homey to him now. And even though those it was faint, there was the barest scent of _him_ here that made his mouth water.

As he entered, the wolf waited outside, resting beside the door, trying to recuperate from what had happened.

"Where have you been?"

He turned his head sharply to look at the doctor who had been sitting in the parlor. Beside him sat another man, older, with graying hair, who was stern and authoritative. He did not care for either of these people.

"Hunting."

"Stop venturing so far out. We're still unsure how stable your body is at this point."

He narrowed his eyes, staring the old doctor down. He shifted briefly to the grey haired man beside him, who seemed to shudder at the briefest glance from his eyes. Oh, he was wonderfully intimidating. Two men of untold power and knowledge _cowered_ before him. And he loved every moment of it.

"Remember that we _gave_ you this. You should be grateful."

"I'll do what I want. I don't owe you anything." He didn't need to remind them what he could do. They had witnessed it countless times now.

He moved to the stairs. He had better things to do now than to deal with these old codgers. He wanted to hunt more, but the prey in this area had grown tiresome to him. Perhaps he would move on to another region the next day where quarry was less aware of him and less scarce. But there was only one prey he wanted.

"We're not finished! There are still tests that I must run-"

He silenced the doctor swish of his hand. Something just beyond the door caught his attention. It had been the slightest noise, the rustling of a single leaf on the bush in front of the house. He turned and was pulling himself partway through the door in an instant.

Two men in black and gold uniforms were there, trying to peer in one of the boarded windows. He recognized the cut of the cloth as belonging to the Imperial Knights. More fodder for him that would put up no challenge. It was aggravating. Neither of them noticed him. He slipped all the way through the door, and stood on the steps of the house for a moment, watching them, waiting to see if they would spot him.

After a few seconds, he got bored with waiting. A scrape of his knife across the stone railing had them turning in no time, faces aghast. They drew their blades, but he was faster.

He speared one of the knights with one of his limbs, easily piercing his steel armor as it\f it was nothing. As with the wolf, he pulled back quickly, plugging the hole he made. The knight crumpled but he tensed a limb and forced him to stand once more. He licked away the blood staining his limb. It was bitter and unsatisfying and the fist sized, fear filled heart that he swallowed sat like a rock in his stomach. It still wasn't enough. Only one thing could sate his mighty hunger.

The other knight scrambled to his feet and watched in shock for a split second. He fled in terror, crashing through the brush of the forest.

"What are you doing?! Apprehend the other one immediately!"

He licked his lips. "It's much more interesting this way." He made the first knight dance for a moment, his clumsy, weakened feet attempting a rough jig that provided him with a little amusement. If it were only a little jauntier. He would have to get better at exhibiting his control. It wasn't perfect yet, but it was getting better.

"What do you mean?! You are to listen and obey! The only reason you're even here is because we deemed you worthy of this!"

He seized the doctor tightly, pulling his face close and staring into his eyes. "You don't seem to understand. I am the one with the power now. You are the one who has created me, but I don't owe you anything and your orders mean _nothing_ to me. I will do what I want."

Fear was rampant in those eyes as old muscles tightened beneath his grasp, brittle bones creaked, threatening to snap, as he was struggling to breathe. He dropped the doctor. Killing him now wouldn't do any good. He had uses yet.

"The little fly I let go will only attract more." He knew that one way or another, the prey that he longed to taste once more would find out about this and would come running. Patience was not a virtue that he appreciated, but he knew that sometimes during hunting you had to lie in wait, and he was preparing his trap. "I'm going to find you, Yuri Lowell."


	54. Chapter 54 - Goad

Author's Notes: Wow, it seems like forever ago that I wrote some of this.

Tales of Vesperia is the property of Namco Bandai.

* * *

Chapter 54 - Goad

"So I heard that you and Yuri Lowell are an item finally." Adrien didn't seem congratulatory, but instead like he was here to gloat. And here Flynn had called him to his cottage on official business.

Flynn didn't look up from the letter he was busy writing to Ioder. "So?"

"Then I suppose you know that I've slept with him."

"Yes. I do." He didn't really have the time to be wasting on this, but he was curious as to what direction this question was going.

"It was too hard to resist after you told me all those stories about him when we served together."

The cottage seemed suddenly cramped and Flynn was feeling very warm in spite of the winter cold. An angry heat was rising against his neck. Had it been a chance encounter that brought Yuri and Adrien together in a tryst, Flynn would have not been angry at all, but he knew now that this was not chance. This had been premeditation on Adrien's part.

"Guess it's no fun to find out someone you served with got to enjoy the pleasure your would-be lover's bed before you. He really enjoyed it though." He was purposefully gloating. He wasn't even trying to be subtle. He leaned over the desk slightly, as if trying to exert himself over Flynn and trying to make the Commandant feel small. "He's awfully eager when you get him turned on. All it took was a couple of drinks. And I must say that he's really good with that pretty mouth of his. When you decide that you're done with him, I wouldn't mind those leftovers."

His pen snapped suddenly as his grip tightened angrily, mid sentence. He was not going to give into his anger though. He was going to maintain his calm because fighting would not solve this, no matter how much he wanted to punch Adrien Frings across the room. He wanted to defend Yuri's honor by challenging this punk to a very legal and binding duel, but he did not. He was trying to bait him into a fight, goodness knows why.

Flynn calmly changed out his broken pen for a new one. He pulled a slip of paper easily off his desk and it up to him. "I've been meaning to present you with this."

Adrien snatched the paper easily and carelessly glanced over it. "This... this is-"

"An official demotion signed by_ Captain_ Frings and myself regarding you behavior."

"What?!"

"Conduct unbefitting an officer of your rank. Attacking a citizen is a very serious offense. Such behavior will not be tolerated by Captain Frings or by myself."

"You mean to say that you actually _believe_ what the low born slut-"

For the first time since the start of the conversation, he looked up, eyes glowering. "Watch yourself, _Corporal_. He has no reason to lie to me and I have no reason to doubt him."

He was taken aback by this.

"You are excused, Corporal."

"I-"

"Do I need to fill out an order of insubordination as well? Further write ups could end your military career with a dishonorable discharge."

Adrien turned and left without another word, although the door to his cottage was slammed hard enough that the building shook and a sheet of snow could be heard sliding off the roof.

Flynn's fist could resist action no longer. He drew it back and punched a hole clear through the top of his desk. He felt instantly better, although he wished that it had been Adrien Frings's face and not his desk. He had not heard the door open and by the time he looked up, Aslan Frings was standing there looking perplexed.

"I'm sorry to intrude, Sir..."

"No." Flynn straightened himself up. "It's quite alright."

"I suppose that my brother is to blame for your frustration. I imagine that he did not takes the news of his demotion well." He sighed.

"Not particularly." That was stating it lightly.

"Some of the men and I are about to have sparring practice. I was wondering if you would do us the honor of observing. Or if you're feeling up to it, perhaps blow off a little steam yourself."

Watching how the training plans he was implementing were working and maybe testing out his troops himself seemed like a great way to get his mind off the current situation. "Of course, Captain. The honor would be mine."

He cleared his desktop quickly and followed the Captain out to a small ring just outside of the barracks. A group of the knights assigned there were gathered around, watching two of them duel with wooden swords. They watched the two knights tussle until one of them finally came out the victor, and helped the other out of the snow and muck. The dueling swords were passed on to another duo and another bout started. They watched for a few long moments, until Flynn decided that he wanted to try his hands at this. The last person that he had dueled had been Yuri. Fighting the monster horde days before, and the recent dispute with Adrien Frings had his energy abounding.

He took one of the swords as it passed by next, and entered the ring, but no one else stepped forward to be a contender. The other sword passed quickly from hand to hand. No one else dared to face him. His intention wasn't to intimidate them, but to give pointers and help them. Maybe the idea of raising even a wooden sword against the Commandant could be construed as an act of treason in the recent wake of the attempt on his life.

Flynn wanted to say something to encourage them, but wasn't sure what would have been the right words to use.

After a long moment, a knight stepped through the crowd. "I'd like to duel the Commandant." Adrien stepped forward and Aslan instantly a passed an hand over his face in frustration.

As much as Flynn wanted to, this seemed ill advised, even if it was a 'harmless' sparring match with wooden swords.

"I don't see anyone else volunteering. What's the problem?"

"If it's alright with the Commandant, then I'll allow it," Aslan said a little reluctantly, looking at Flynn. He wanted to save his brother face because he knew that Flynn was strong. They had sparred together before and the outcome had always been in Flynn's favor.

"What do you say, Commandant?" Adrien's tone was acidic, but it didn't bother Flynn. He knew that the corporal was not of his current rank, or previous one, due to any particular battle prowess.

Flynn tossed him one of the wooden swords, which he caught easily and then each took a fighting stance.

Adrien didn't waste any time. He charged Flynn instantly, sword raised high. His defense was weak. Flynn could see easily the openings in his movements. He was unbalanced and relied too heavily on the right hand side of his body. He easily dodged and while Adrien was recovering and turning to make another move, Flynn aimed for his exposed left side.

He struck the outside of his left thigh and spun to avoid an attempt by Adrien to hit his abdomen. He moved deftly across the field, dodging another strike at his mid section and retorting by hitting Adrien nearly hard enough to mostly disable his left arm. This really wasn't much of a challenge, but he didn't take this fight lightly. Whether or not, anyone else knew it, they both knew that this duel was really about Yuri. Even a fighter who lacked prowess could prove to be a challenge if underestimated.

Adrien was already struggling after only these few hits, where Flynn's breathing had hardly become any heavier. He waited patiently for the corporal to make the next move. He did not disappoint. He charged again, sword low at his right hip. He twisted it slightly as he neared the motionless Commandant, and started to perform an upward strike across his chest, obviously hoping to catch Flynn off guard and disarm him. Flynn saw this coming and kept his own sword low as Adrien came in.

As he moved to strike up against Flynn with all his weight, Flynn moved easily to his right and struck Adrien's open left hand side. The wooden sword cracked hard against his ribs. He recoiled, groping for his side. Flynn wouldn't have been surprised if he had broken a few ribs with that hit. Adrien went down, struggling to stand once more.

He started down his wooden sword, pointed at the man's throat, waiting for a word or motion of surrender.

Adrien made a small movement, then a faster one, and Flynn pulled back to defend himself against the brief barrage of muddy snow. It blinded him momentarily and as his vision cleared, the corporal's sword slashed him up one side of his nose across his cheek, barely missing his eye. The wooden tip was sharp enough to cut him and send a shower of blood into his eyes and down his face. He wanted to reach up and rub his eyes, but he did not. This would not stop him though. He knew Adrien couldn't have pulled back too far that quickly and waited for the barest vibration in the air, the slightest crunch of the snow to find him and strike back.

He heard Adrien shift and gasp ever so slightly to his left, his broken ribs expanding painfully to allow him to breathe. His vision was finally starting to clear, but his other senses were still heightened. He struck left, hitting Adrien once more, knocking his legs out from under him and sending him crashing into the ice and snow and mud.

Flynn quickly wiped his eyes and found Adrien laying face down in the slush, trying to stand, but stumbling. One foot on his back to hold him down stopped that. He dug in his heel slightly to get the point across and pressed the tip of his sword into the soft spot on the back of the corporal's head. This was a warning for him not to move. Had this been a serious battle, this would have been a 'surrender or die' motion.

Adrien groaned, sword slipping from his grasp and he turned limp. Flynn didn't move. If he was capable of one dirty move, he was capable of more.

"Give in."

"I..." He hesitated, wheezing but still proud. "I... yield."

The collected Knights cheered for their fierce Commandant, while two medics retrieved the fallen corporal. Even Aslan could be seen clapping from the sidelines, a soft smile showing his approval over the outcome of the battle.

"Please continue to fight with honor and integrity as befitting the Imperial Knights." Flynn's speech to his men was simple, but served the dual purpose of reinforcing their morale, and maybe calling out Adrien Frings a bit.

"Congratulations, Sir."

"Thank you, Captain." He handed his sparring sword to a knight and began the trek away from the center of the ring.

"Sir, we should really get you some medical attention for that." Aslan matched his pace, extending a handkerchief out of him.

"Thank you for your concern, but it's just a scratch." He wiped some of the blood from as far down as his chin. Perhaps this was a little more serious than he had thought. His fingers brushed against the wound. It was still bleeding and surprisingly deep. He was even starting to feel a little lightheaded. He wasn't sure if that was the adrenaline or the blood leaving his body. "Perhaps I am mistaken."

They trudged to the medic. Adrien was laid up, staring at Flynn as they entered. The cut across his face was treated with an apple gel and a quick series of stitches. All the while, the corporal was glaring at them.

"How are you faring, Adrien?" Aslan asked, checking on his brother. Even though he had been satisfied with the battle's outcome, he was still concerned for his somewhat wayward twin brother.

"Leave me alone."

The medical officer replied for the disgruntled knight, "Captain, it looks as though he's suffered two broken ribs and a mild concussion. It'll be a while before he's able to do much."

"I hope that you heal quickly." Flynn tried to sound sincere. He didn't really mean it, but it felt better than apologizing for inflicting said injuries.

Adrien huffed and looked away.

The medical officer doted on him a little more, making sure the wound was closing and that he wasn't in much pain before Flynn was able to slip away. He hated to admit it, but he felt a little better after his and Adrien's sparring match. It might have been because he taught the corporal a lesson, it might have been the victory- no mater how small, and it might have been that it seemed to drive home the point of leaving Yuri alone.

* * *

The cold sea wind cut right through him. Even steel armor was no deterrence for it. It made him feel a little numb in spite of his numerous layers of clothing, but a little numbness was better than the ache of his body. The sea below the cliff where he stood was choppy and dark grey, the depth of it contrasting starkly with the white snow on the beach it lapped against. As much as sea travel made him feel ill, the sea itself was a comfort, even as frightening as it looked now in the cold of winter. The ships anchored a little out in the harbor bobbed in the mild turbulence, but always found their place once more. The sky was flat and grey, threatening more snow to come soon, as if the current foot worth of the white powder on the ground wasn't causing them enough trouble. He kept his eye on the sky for a moment, waiting for a sight of the whale-like Entelexia that would signal Yuri's return.

From his lofty perch, Flynn could see the encampment where the Knights milled about, some training, mimicking the moves he had used only an hour before, some of them patrolling. A little further out, through a small grove of trees, was the burnt out colony, where he could see the black and gold uniformed Frings Brigade still excavating, still investigating for the tiniest hint on the next movements of Alexei's Word. If he looked out over the sea once more, he could see the cliffs of Tolbyccia, hazy grey and green in the distance. Past those cliffs lay Dahngrest and Keiv Mov, from which he hoped Yuri would return soon, having read his letter and in less of a dismal mood that Flynn was completely guilty of putting him in. He had said that he needed time and space, but Flynn really only wanted to talk this through and hold him and apologize again. He wasn't sure that his letter would make everything right, but hopefully it did more good than harm.

When he spoke, words became choked up inside of him and he usually ended up saying the wrong thing when it came to Yuri. When he wrote though, those same lost words flowed so freely. If he could only be so eloquent with his own tongue. Instead, he was always left stumbling for just the right thing to say and still getting it wrong.

He sighed, wondering if Yuri would even read the letter. He read the others Flynn had written and never sent, but never actually commented on them.

Reading just wasn't a pleasure that Yuri enjoyed. He knew how to read, but it didn't hold the same interest for him as it held for others. Flynn remembered fondly teaching Yuri how to read and write when they were just children. They had an old wooden primer and whatever scraps of paper Granny could manage to scrounge up. Flynn had known how to read since he was very small, but Yuri didn't have a real education. He didn't care for it at first, since even at that age, Yuri knew that many of the jobs afforded to those of the Lower Quarter didn't require that skill. Flynn's father convinced him otherwise. In order to become a Knight, reading and writing were as essential as knowing how to fight. That changed Yuri's mind pretty quickly.

How had he not realized earlier how Yuri felt? For fifteen years, he lived with the knowledge that he felt more than friendship, more than brotherly affection, for Flynn, and for fifteen years, Flynn had been oblivious. Yuri was good at disguising his emotions, even as a child. Yuri did the best a child could to take care of them, filled with a sense of duty after Granny said 'Yuri, you and Flynn take good care of each other' on her death bed, and Yuri's tearful agreement. That was the first and the last time he ever saw Yuri cry. Even at the modest funeral that was held for her with the help of the people of the Lower Quarter, he didn't shed a tear. He merely stared down at the ground, holding Flynn's hand so tightly that he was nearly crushing his fingers. For a long time, Flynn thought it was cold of Yuri to not cry at his grandmother's funeral, but later he realized that the kind of strength it took for a ten year old to hold himself together like that was amazing. He was sure that Yuri never forgot what Granny said that day, just as he had never forgotten Captain Niren's 'Save everyone who can be saved'.

Flynn tried to push back those thoughts. They weren't helping anything right now. He had to trust Yuri and believe that everything would work out for the best, one way or another. He returned to watching the ships, and spotted a small, sail-less craft bobbing along in the waves, racked and tattered by the rough seas. As it grew closer, he could see one knight inside, wearing the uniform of the Frings brigade. It was the ship he had sent to check on the Manor of the Wicked, but it was carrying only one of the two soldiers he had sent.

The boat crashed into the shore with the waves and immediately the Knights came to its aid. Something was amiss. He headed down the cliff to the encampment, where he was met by Aslan Frings.

"Sir, we have a troubling situation."

"The scouts I sent have returned. Or at least one of them."

"Yes, Sir. He arrived mostly uninjured, but in a catatonic state. Whatever might have occurred seems to have put him in shock. We have no evidence of the whereabouts of the other scout without his information.

"Where is he now?"

"The medic is tending to him."

Flynn held back a sigh, a migraine brewing deep in his brain. "I'd like to see him for myself. Even without a voice, he may be able to offer us some clue about the situation."

"Of course. Right this way." Aslan led him back through the camp to the medic's post were he had been less than an hour before for his own stitches.

They entered to find a knight sitting up straight in bed, being examined by medics. His uniform was very nearly shredded and covered in mud, his short, dark brown hair was filled with leaves and twigs. The look on his face was pure fear: mouth agape and trembling, eyes wide, skin ashen. One hand was shakily gripping the front of his uniform over his heart.

"Private, can you give us some indication of what happened? Anything at all you can tell us would be of use." Aslan waited for a reply of any sort, calmly and patiently.

The grip on the front of the soldier's uniform tightened. One of the medics tried to pull his hand away, checking still for wounds, but the knight only began to scream. The first noise he made was horrifying, ripping through their ears. This was a howl of terror that persisted for several moments before he silenced suddenly but his grip remained cemented.

That hit Flynn hard. This was a sign. Whatever it was, something terrible had happened at the Manor of the Wicked.

"Get some rest and recover soon, Private." Even rest would not calm the memory of whatever happened that was surely playing over and over again in the knight's mind. "Captain, let's discuss this elsewhere."

He left the medic's building and Aslan followed him down to the shore, where the small boat had been pulled ashore and its battered husk was being examined.

They stood there in silence for a moment, the cold spray of the sea salty against their faces. The wind was just as harsh here as it had been on the cliff top, snapping their capes around like a pair of banners atop a tower. It was cold and quiet, only the crashing of the grey and white waves on the sea could be heard.

Aslan spoke first, just barely loud enough to be heard between the waves. There was urgency to his normally calm tone. "Sir, what do you make of this?"

"I fear this has something to do with Alexei's Word. Not that long ago, we found the bodies of a dozen of their fold in the basement of the Manor, their throats slit. The few we managed to capture stated it was because they weren't strong enough for 'his heart', speaking of course of Alexei."

"'His heart'? You mean to say the blastia hearts."

Flynn nodded. "We know that there were surgeries done here and that they were planning something in this colony. It is conceivable that they may have taken up residence at the Manor once more. Any survivors from here could have made it there easily by boat in less than a day. We would not suspect them to return to a place that was being guarded by the Imperial Knights and the Union. But with the return of only one scout, no doubt in shock from whatever happened, we have only one course of action. We need to go there ourselves."

"I shall leave a small contingency to guard our findings here at the colony. The rest of the men and myself will be prepared to depart this evening."

He nodded mutely and watched the waves a little while longer as Aslan's footsteps could be heard disappearing behind him.


	55. Chapter 55 - Threads

Author's Note: This chapter will make more sense if you've seen The First Strike.

* * *

Chapter 55 - Threads

Winter was no less harsh on Tolbyccia. The winds were higher at this altitude and seemed even colder by comparison. They trudged through the ice and snow filled fields and into the forest. He remained ever at the ready, something deep in his gut telling him that something was not right here. His blue eyes were alert, scanning between every tree and around every rock.

Something was very wrong. Since they had left the coast and the camp that they had made there, they had not encountered a single monster, and the forests of these cliffs were normally fraught with them. The whole forest seemed so dead and quiet and it was incredibly unnerving. Normally, Flynn could hear every twig popped or leaf rustled by a creature, but it was only their own footsteps crunching softly through the snow, and his breathing, rapidly filling and leaving his lungs as clouds of steam in the cold air. Even though they were still a few miles from the Manor, they had to remain cautious.

Further up ahead, through the trees that lined the trail, just beyond the misty winter air, he could see an armored silhouette. He held his breath as they drew closer. There were other forms behind it, two, wearing familiar olive green and brown uniforms. He breathed a small sigh of relief. It was only a handful of Imperial Knights, standing steadfast in the path.

They saluted, but held their positions.

He took a few steps forward, relaxing slightly. "What's the situation here? One or our scouts returned traumatized by something that happened."

The first knight dropped his arm out of his salute, letting it fall limply at this side. For a half a second, Flynn could see something above him glittering.

"Sir... run..." the face of that soldier was twisted with pain and fear. His head cracked to one side and he drew his sword, every one of his tense bones cracking as he moved. Flynn saw that glittering again and recognized it to his own horror. Thin strands of red, barely visible though the mist, were holding that knight and the other two tightly. Or worse yet, they were controlling them. Something started to glow in the center of the knight's chest, bright red. It was something else that terrified him.

"Retreat! Now!"

"But, Sir!" Sodia started from his side.

"Now!" He glanced around them but it was too late. They were surrounded by beasts and knights and people he knew as guild members, all of them with the bright red spots on their chests and the red strings tethering them. The rock monster in Ceazontania had been bad, but this was worse. Whatever it was, it was controlling these men, turning his own knights against him.

From behind them, a scream echoed out as a knight of the Frings Brigade was grabbed and whipped up into the trees by something long and dark and shining red. After a second, another was grabbed and then another. They dropped back out of the trees, filled with glowing chests and draped with glittering strings.

This was a trap.

The first knight came in to strike at him. He parried and aimed for the strings, but missed as the knight came at him again.

"At the Manor..." the knight gasped, raising his sword high with a will that was not his.

"What's at the Manor?!"

"Please... kill us..."

His heart sunk and he knew that these men couldn't be saved. He didn't want to believe that. He had never intended to fight his own men. He was frozen.

"Sir! Watch out!" Aslan shoved him aside, out of the way of the quickly plummeting blade, managing to parry just in time.

Sodia helped him out of the snow where he had fallen, scrambling back to his feet. Yuri wasn't here to do the thing no one else wanted to do. That would fall to Flynn. He would be forced to take up the mantle. He didn't want to raise his sword against his own, but he had to, and he did.

As another knight came at Aslan, prepared to strike, Flynn made his move. He cut the red threads that bound him. The knight crumpled to the ground. He jabbed the knight in the red heart and the glow faded. They were suddenly overcome with monsters and men. He turned to fell another when he spotted Aslan out of the corner of his eye, holding back two with his sword from going after Flynn. One of the knights swept down on Aslan, lodging a long sword into his shoulder. Blood sprayed everywhere, but the Captain held out, managing to shove back the two he had been fending off and retaliating against the one with the dagger he carried at his side, shoving it into the red glow in the knight's chest.

He was losing blood quickly and with more enemies encroaching when everything suddenly stopped. Flynn felt like the whole world was moving at half speed, and yards away in the trees, he spotted a moving glyph of glowing blue in the air. The enemies stopped cold and fell to their knees, the glow fading from their chests and the strings that bound them dissolving. Flynn's vision darted quickly around until he spotted a familiar form holding a familiar sword.

Duke Panterei stood before them, Dein Nomos in hand. Before Flynn could react, Aslan staggered and he moved to catch him.

"Captain Frings!" A medic was at the their side quickly, treating the gash in his left shoulder with military precision.

"Are you alright?" Flynn knelt beside him, but his eyes remained fixed on Duke, who wasn't looking at them, but instead at the bodies of the enemy around them.

"I'm fine, Sir." He cringed a bit as the medic shifted him to get a field dressing on the wound.

If help had arrived only seconds later, the Captain may have been a goner. Flynn sighed a little with relief when the medic indicated that with proper treatment at the camp, the Captain would recover in time. He stood and approached Duke, who was holding one of the blastia hearts.

"Thank you for your timely assistance."

Duke's deep crimson eyes scanned him briefly. "It was not my intention here."

"Thank you all the same."

"You should get out of this forest before it returns to finish you."

"What do you mean 'it'?"

"The creature that is causing the disturbance in the aer."

Flynn was reluctant to leave. They needed to know what was going on here, but they were overpowered once already and a second time could spell their end. He had injured men to think about. They were in no condition to continue.

"We will withdraw immediately. Will you accompany us and inform me further on the situation?"

"Let us go." Duke turned and started back through the forest toward the coast.

Flynn hastily reassembled his now dwindling troops and they headed back to camp.

* * *

"I was wondering if you've got any new information for us," Yuri asked, standing before the Union once more.

"Well, we did sent a small reconnaissance group to check out the Manor of the Wicked, like you asked. It's been two days and they have yet to return."

That alone sent his thoughts racing. It shouldn't have taken so long to get there and return on a simple scouting mission. "Thank you. We'll head there ourselves and see what's going on."

Harry nodded and Yuri left. He didn't like this one bit. If everything was fine, the guild members should have returned by now. Guilt started filling his stomach, squashing the hunger he had felt earlier. If something had happened to them, he was responsible. He was the one who had asked for the aid, and he would have to suffer the repercussions of his actions.

He headed back to the headquarters, intent on rallying the others and heading there immediately.

"Yuri Lowell!" That voice made his hair stand on end and his kidney ache, although he would never show a trace of that to the person who spoke.

He whipped around to find Sodia, followed by two Royal Guards, quickly approaching him. He shifted his weight onto one foot and put his hand on his hip. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

She obviously heard the sarcasm heavy in his voice. He wasn't trying to hide it. "What do you know about what's going on at the Manor of the Wicked?

"Why?"

"Just answer the question!"

"Only if you say please."

The desire to strike him was clear in her eyes, but she resisted for whatever reason. "We were ambushed near there."

That caught his attention. "Lemme guess... monsters with glowing chests."

"Monsters... and Imperial Knights. Look. Flynn asked me to come find you. He said something about a place called Ceazontania. He said you'd know what I was talking about."

"Where is he now?" Of course he knew what she was talking about. He would never forget that place. The very mention of it brought back a flood of memories, some good, some terrifying.

"At our encampment on the coast north of here."

"We'll head up. Let him know." He turned his back to her. It probably wasn't the smartest decision, but her worry for Flynn seemed to be overcoming her hatred for him even if only briefly. She could have attacked him if she wanted to, but instead he was able to walk all the way back to headquarters without incident.

Everyone was sitting around the conference table when he entered.

"Yuri! Raven just told us that there's an Imperial camp north of here. Flynn might be there." Estelle must have been hoping that their quarrel had simmered down since they'd had some time away from each other. She was probably worried about the Empire's White Knight as well.

"He's definitely there. We need to go meet up with him. There's some serious stuff going on. Let's go and see what he knows."

All of this being centered on the Manor again worried him. Two missing guild members, blastia heart monsters, an overflowing krene, an ambush, and anything having to do with Ceazontania that could have been connected with Alexei's Word didn't sit right. Hopefully the blond would be able to shed more light on the subject.

"Are you worried about Flynn?" Estelle broke his thoughts with a gentle hand on his arm.

"No. Flynn can handle himself." It was everything else he was worried about.


	56. Chapter 56 - Camp

Author's Note: So yeah. Stuff. Consistent updates. I don't even know. Also, chapter 57 will definitely be rated 'M'.

* * *

Chapter 56 - Camp

The camp was just as Sodia had said, a cluster of tents along the north coast with one ship moored nearby. Flynn must have brought less than half of the assembled troops from Vonael. A reconnaissance mission; the fewer the better.

The camp was abuzz with activity and they knew at once that something had happened. Yuri stopped one of the soldiers that was passing them as they entered.

"Where's the Commandant?"

A brief look of astonishment passed over the knight's face for it turned a little grim.

"Where the hell is Flynn? We need to talk to him."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lowell." Aslan approached on the right of them, and dismissed the knight. "The Commandant is resting now, but his condition is fine." His own condition did not appear so good though.

"Captain Frings! Are you alright?!"

"Thank you for your concern, Lady Estellise, but I'm fine." He was lying and Yuri could see through it. He had been pretty badly injured in the ambush. His whole left arm was bandaged from shoulder to finger tips and underneath the collar of his uniform were other bandages that probably wrapped up most of his midsection.

Yuri clapped a hand down on his shoulder and took a step past him. "Thanks."

Aslan smiled. "Just being true to my word."

He kept on moving, away from the others and further into the camp. They would no doubt disperse and do what they usually did. Yuri and Repede went to find Flynn's tent, to see how he was faring. As they rounded a corner, they met another familiar face.

"You're the last person I expected to see here."

"I'm merely passing through," Duke replied. His voice always seemed much too deep in comparison to his near androgynous face.

"I didn't get to thank you for saving me in Yurzorea. So, thanks."

"I was only giving you what you gave me once, and the whole world. A second chance."

His favors really got around. Two in five minutes had come back to him.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"I was near Keiv Moc when I felt a disturbance in the aer in this area."

"Any idea why the krene there was going out of control?"

"It was producing an over abundance of aer in order to make up for what had been taken from it. I was able to calm it with Dein Nomos and return it to normal."

"Taken from it?"

"Something was feeding off of the krene. It headed in this direction, in conjunction with the aer disturbance here. It is something that I have never encountered, but I believe that you have." Duke turned to leave, glancing back over his shoulder momentarily. "Be careful, Yuri Lowell." He disappeared into the camp and Yuri was sure that their paths would cross again one day.

He moved on also and found Flynn's tent toward the back of the camp. It had been hastily thrown up, but still stood. They had been in a rush when they got here. Flynn hated leaving things half done and if his tent was in such a state of disarray, whatever happened had occupied his obsessive compulsiveness enough to keep him from doing anything about it. There were more important things than a properly pitched and secured tent after all. He knocked on the wooden frame, but when he received no reply, he entered anyway and Repede waited outside as he often did.

Flynn was sitting at his makeshift desk, pouring over dusty old tomes, looking as tired as Yuri had ever seen before. He didn't even lift his head. He was so absorbed in what he was doing that he probably didn't hear him. A blanket was draped over his shoulders and a long iced over cup of coffee sat next to him on the desk. Even as Yuri drew closer, he didn't move other than to flip a page or scribble a note on a stack of badly scrawled on papers.

Yuri slid against the desk, sitting on the corner and placing his left hand in the center of the open book. He finally got a reaction.

"_Yuri_!" Those tired blue eyes shot up at him with what looked like the first little bit of happiness that he had known in a while.

"Was wondering when you'd notice I was here."

He sighed, ragged but relieved, resting his head against one of his hands. "Sorry. I've been a little absorbed."

"I figured." Yuri shifted on the desk, scooting back a little to sit on it fully instead of letting the corner jab him in the thigh. "Sodia came to find me. What happened?"

His eyes darted away, gaze filled with hesitation and something deep that was disturbing him. He already knew that this had been no regular ambush. Yuri knew that already. "It was like at Ceazontania."

"She said something about that."

"Instead of those aer threads controlling the castle like a puppet, these were tethering people and monsters. And all of them had blastia hearts." Flynn was visibly shaken by this and with good reason. He hadn't known all the details on the attack in Ceazontania while he had been in Zaphias meeting with Alexei. Yuri had seen how easily that aer monster had absorbed and controlled Lambert and the other dogs, and easily snatched people straight out of nowhere. "Some of them were my own men..."

That's probably what happened to the guild members that had gone missing. He swore internally. "How did it do those things?" His main interest was in how it managed to work with the blastia hearts if that was really what was happening.

"Whatever it was grabbed them and a second later, they had the hearts and the strings tying them. By all accounts, they were perfectly normal until that very moment. I don't even know how it could have happened so quickly. I... I couldn't do anything to save them." He couldn't even look Yuri in the eye. His eyes were fixed heavily on the ground. This experience had messed him up badly.

Yuri slid his hand onto Flynn's shoulder, holding just tightly enough to provide a bit of comfort. "We fought a monster with a blastia heart in Keiv Moc near the aer krene there. I'm not liking this trend." He really wanted to get Flynn's mind off of this for a while. There wasn't a lot that they could do now with the condition of the Knights. Yuri felt like this would be something best left to the abilities of his own party rather than an entire army. "You alright?"

"My injuries are minor. Aslan and his men took the brunt of the assault."

That was probably weighing on his mind as well. If he had frozen, even for a split second, unable to do what needed to be done, then maybe Aslan had taken a hit for him as Yuri and Sodia both had before.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"Were you _worried_ about me?"

"No." He moved his fingertips into the blond's hair for a moment before noticing something odd. It was a scar on his left cheek that ran parallel tothe side of his nose. It had been hidden from view by his hair and was pretty fresh, stitches still holding the edges of it together. "Where'd you get this?" One finger moved gently across it, feeling the sutures.

"During sparring practice with the troops."

"Someone must have been pretty pissed to cut you with a wooden sword."

"You should see him."

"Who were you dueling?"

Flynn was silent for a moment and that silence betrayed him.

"It was Adrien, wasn't it?" He passed a hand over his face in frustrated embarrassment. "Flynn, are you serious? Did you really kick Adrien's ass over something stupid like what happened in Vonael?"

"It wasn't like that!" He was flustered, his face a little red, but he recomposed himself pretty quickly. "He said a number of highly inappropriate things about you, but that wasn't why I sparred with him. He was the only one who stepped forward to duel me during practice, so I fought him."

Yuri found his other hand coming up and following the same trail of disbelief as his first. "Dueling for my honor... Flynn, you're an idiot."

The blond pouted like a child caught with his hand in the cookies.

"So, what did he say?"

He seemed reluctant to repeat any of it.

"If I'm going to be able to use my reputation at all, I need to know what he said."

After a briefly perplexed look, Flynn decided it was better not to question what exactly Yuri was planning to use that sort of reputation for. "He talked about how 'easy' you were to bed."

He was blushing as he said it. Yuri didn't want to admit it was a little adorable. He urged Flynn to continued as he ticked off on his fingers the things that Adrien had alleged.

"It only took a few drinks..."

He nodded.

"You were good with your mouth..."

"Hold up. That is a damn lie."

"But wait, you are really -"

"That's not what I mean. I didn't even do that with him. Asshole hardly even knew what foreplay was, and if he did, he skipped it almost completely." It had really not been one of the more enjoyable encounters that Yuri'd had, but it was not the worst. Adrien moved things along quickly and had been less than attentive when it came to Yuri's experience. But that was in the past, and he didn't want to reflect on it any longer. "So, how bad is he?"

"He received two broken ribs and a concussion for his trouble."

Yuri wanted to congratulate him, but Flynn should not have been rewarded with praise for such a thing. Fighting someone like that over something stupid was not the sort of thing a Commandant should be doing. Even with that in mind, he scooted a little further onto the desk until he was sitting right in front of Flynn, putting his feet on the arms of his chair. He reached down and pulled Flynn up out of his chair, pressing their mouths together in what proved to be an unexpected kiss for Flynn.

He didn't seem to mind though. He stopped fumbling easily enough, planting one hand firmly on the desk, just behind Yuri to brace himself, and fingers of his other hand tangled themselves in his dark hair.

Yuri broke the kiss to move down Flynn's neck, biting him just below his ear, hard enough to get a gasp out of the blond. He responded by slipping his hand into Yuri's shirt and letting his thumb brush ever so gently, teasingly across his nipple. Yuri moaned a bit, biting him again for that before pulling him into another kiss. He felt so hungry suddenly and it wasn't for food. He wanted Flynn's warmth, every little bit of his heat pressed up against him, hands and mouths wandering as they pleased.

"Flynn, I heard that -" Estelle stepped in, right in the middle of their extended kiss, and was left gawking a second before either of them noticed. "I, uh... I'm sorry!"

Yuri smiled, and licked his lips as he pulled away. "It's all right, Estelle. I was just giving Flynn some mouth to mouth."

Both of them blushed bright red, looking at him in surprise.

"Y-Yuri!"

"Shut up. You know you were enjoying it."

"I-I guess you're doing okay then!" She tried to smile off the embarrassment but it was set in by now. "I'll... um... leave you two alone then! Have fun!" She turned and quickly made good her escape. Her and Rita's relationship probably hadn't gone past holding hands and shaky, blushing, chaste kisses, so something of the nature of what Flynn and Yuri were doing was beyond her yet. Her innocence was adorable.

He turned back to look at Flynn, completely intent to continue where they had left off only a moment before, but was taken aback by the seriousness of the look in Flynn's eyes. "What?"

"Let's go duel."

There was rarely a moment in time that Yuri wasn't up for a fight. Even now really wasn't an exception.

"I need a challenge." At Flynn's abilities, Adrien must not have even been worth the effort.

"Why bother? You're only going to lose again." If Flynn needed to loosen up a little, then there were other ways to do it. Yuri let him off the hook this time and didn't complain as the Commandant drug him out of the tent and off to a secluded little area outside of the view of camp, where nobody would bother them.

Each drew their sword, and even with the winter around them, it was like they were back in the field in Zaphias, preparing for the duel of Yuri's life. Yuri would never back down from a fight with Flynn, and even as a child, knowing that the blond could whip him, never had.

"Are you ready?"

"Of course."

"Don't go too easy on me."

Yuri smirked. It wasn't that long ago he had said something similar. "I've never gone easy on you a day in my life."


End file.
